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Xavier Naidoo at a concert in August 2019: "Nationalism, racism, homophobia and anti-Semitism are not compatible with my values," the singer now explains via video
Photo: Kadir Caliskan / imago images
The video that singer Xavier Naidoo published on his YouTube channel on Tuesday evening is three minutes and 14 seconds long.
And what he says in it should come as a surprise to most listeners.
For example: "I have recognized some of the wrong paths I was on." And: "I said and did things that I regret today."
As a background, you have to know that Naidoo has made a name for itself in recent years, especially with conspiracy buzz, with its proximity to Reich citizens and the QAnon movement.
In March 2020 he had to leave the jury of the RTL program "Deutschland sucht den Superstar", after which he vehemently rejected allegations of racism.
At the end of 2021, the Federal Constitutional Court ruled that the singer could be called an anti-Semite.
So now an apology video.
"Servus dear ones," says Naidoo at the beginning of the clip.
Apparently he reads the text.
"I'm contacting you today because I want to take a stand on something." He then reports how the Russian invasion of Ukraine "dismayed and shook him up."
His wife is from Ukraine, says Naidoo.
"And now I had to get family and friends out of this beautiful country because there is fear and terror there."
The world seems turned upside down.
And he asked himself, so Naidoo, how it could have come to this.
He also took a critical look at his own statements in the past.
»I have recognized the wrong paths I have sometimes found myself on and that I have made many mistakes in recent years.«
With "disturbing statements" - "for which I would like to apologize" - he "irritated and provoked" his family, friends, fans and other people.
The search for truth is a central point of his character, Naidoo explains further.
He set out and "ultimately got lost".
He opened himself to "theories, perspectives and sometimes also groups, from which I distance myself without any ifs and buts and renounce them.
I was blinded by conspiracy stories and didn't question them enough, I let myself be exploited in some cases.« In the search for truth he was like in a bubble, he »sometimes distanced himself from the connection to reality«.
Unfortunately, he only now recognized that, says Naidoo.
»I said and did things that I now regret.«
The singer explains that he distances himself from all extremes, especially from right-wing and conspiracy groups.
»I stand for tolerance, diversity and peaceful coexistence.
Nationalism, racism, homophobia and anti-Semitism are not compatible with my values.
And I condemn them in the strongest terms.«
With some of his statements and behavior, he alienated and hurt people, which he very much regrets.
"I apologize for that and beg your pardon."
The video was viewed more than 24,600 times on YouTube within a few hours.
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