According to Serj Tankian, he wanted to warn Imagine Dragons about the negative consequences of their actions.
Last summer, the singer wrote a personal letter to Imagine Dragons, asking them kindly to reconsider their show in Baku, Azerbaijan due to the authoritarian president Ilham Aliyev’s regime. Despite Tankian’s pleas, Imagine Dragons proceeded with their gig as planned. Tankian spoke with Metal Hammer and expressed frustration and disappointment over their decision:
“If you are that blind to justice that you will go play a show in a country that’s starving another country, illegally, according to the International Court of Justice, according to what Amnesty International is saying, what Human Rights Watch is saying… If you still go and play that country, I don’t know what to say about you as a f*cking human being. I don’t even care about your music. If you’re a bad human being, I don’t give a f*ck. So that’s where I’m at with that. I have zero respect for those guys.”
The rocker said it wasn’t about his ego and explained why:
“It’s not about my ego. I just wanted to make positive change. I wanted those guys to know that what they’re about to do is going to have bad repercussions. I was warning them for their own sake, for their own morality.”
What Did Tankian Say In His Letter?
In his letter, Serj said he believed performing there could support the country’s authoritarian leader and gloss over their regime’s image. Tankian also mentioned concerns about Azerbaijan’s actions in Nagorno-Karabakh ahead of Imagine Dragons’ scheduled concert on September 2. He also noted:
“I really feel that performing in Azerbaijan would have a negative impact on your brand as well. I’m confident that you can decipher all the facts for yourselves to decide whether to cancel your concert.”
The letter continued:
“Performing in Baku under these circumstances, regardless of intent, can only help the government of Azerbaijan cover up its crimes.”
In August ’23, musicians Roger Waters, Brian Eno, and Thurston Moore joined in urging the band to cancel the show in Baku. They praised the band’s commitment to inclusion and human rights. After Imagine Dragons did not respond to Tankian’s concerns, he criticized them on social media for ignoring what he saw as a humanitarian crisis.
Tankian urged fans to sign a change.org petition asking the band to cancel the controversial show. Still, it wasn’t successful, too. Imagine Dragons did not publicly address their peers’ concerns. However, during a performance at the Reading Festival in August 2023, Dan Reynolds told the audience to leave behind any burdens, including politics and religion.