Many can agree that Róisín Murphy’s career can be considered successful after her time with the electronic duo Moloko. The singer has returned to pop with her new LP, created in collaboration with DJ Koze. Music for the charts, perhaps only intercepted by Olivia Rodrigo.
And yet, for a few days now, a strange shadow has fallen over the music and its creator. The trigger was a Facebook post by Murphy that sparked widespread attention in the queer and trans community and led to bitter backlash.
The singer wrote at the time: “Puberty blockers are crap, absolutely desolate, Big Pharma is laughing up its sleeve. Little confused children are vulnerable and need to be protected, that’s just true. Please don’t call me Terf, please stop using that word against women.”
Róisín Murphy later apologized for her thoughts via But it was too late, the criticism of her opinion refused to die down. Tenor: Róisín Murphy clearly turns out to be transphobic here.
The vehement criticism of Róisín Murphy is also an expression of disappointment
Now it has to be said that the 50-year-old is actually a stone in the back of many queer music lovers and this may now be a real thorn in the side that an artist who is otherwise considered progressive has an opinion in this socio-politically hotly debated area , with which Joanne K. Rowling also attracted a lot of criticism (even if the “Harry Potter” author went much further in her portrayal).
As the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” reports, the opinion environment created by this remark has already ensured that Murphy is perceived differently in Great Britain. According to the report, a “Guardian” review of “Hit Parade” turned out to be a reckoning with the retrograde pop star behind the “masterpiece,” and an announced special with the musician on “BBC Radio 6 Music” was allegedly removed from the program.
There’s even a rumor that Murphy’s own label, Ninja Tune, has turned against her and will no longer promote the new record. Two advertising appearances were also canceled. The record company says nothing about all of this, nor does it confirm that income will now be used to benefit organizations against transphobia, as was initially said.
However, the debate in question is not entirely one-sided. There is definitely a group of supporters of Murphy’s ideas on the problem of puberty blockers on the Internet (which the singer has not said that they should disappear in general, but that their side effects are not given enough focus) under the hashtag #IStandWithRóisínMurphy. There may also be some supporters who simply want to avoid the topic and see it as less important for the suitability of Murphy’s music. In addition, music experts also see the debate as beneficial for raising awareness around “Hit Parade”. The album is doing quite well in the UK record charts and is currently at number two.