In a statement shared to her Instagram Story on Sunday, Nov. 13, the British songstress shut down rumors about her potential appearance, telling her fans that the theories have no truth to them whatsoever.  “There is currently a lot of speculation that I will be performing at the opening ceremony of the world cup in Qatar,” the 27-year-old singer wrote, per the BBC. “I will not be performing and nor have I ever been involved in any negotiation to perform.”  While she said she will be “cheering England on from afar,” she also noted that she won’t be visiting Qatar until it makes the necessary human rights changes, as the nation is currently facing backlash and boycotts over its treatment of migrant workers and the LGBTQ+ community.  “I look forward to visiting Qatar when it has fulfilled all the human rights pledges it made when it won the right to host the World Cup,” Lipa’s statement concluded.  The “New Rules” vocalist isn’t the only celebrity keeping their distance from Qatar as a result of the controversy, as Rod Stewart already opted out of the gig months prior.  “It’s not right to go,” he told the Sunday Times in a recent interview. “And the Iranians [soccer team] should be out too for supplying arms [to Russia.]”  Additionally, Spice Girls alum Melanie C said she was “very uncomfortable” showing support for Qatar in light of the situation.  Soccer star David Beckham has since been getting heat for serving as a paid ambassador for Qatar, despite the push from human rights groups and fellow celebrities including British comedian Joe Lycett, per Time.  BTS star Jung Kook is apparently the only official act confirmed to perform at the opening ceremony on Nov. 20, while Diplo, Calvin Harris and Sean Paul are also expected to perform at the Fifa Fan Festival throughout the tournament, according to the Guardian.  More News:

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