Rod Stewart makes a pro-Ukraine statement during his performance in Leipzig – and is booed for it.
A statement against Russian President Vladimir Putin (71) and the war of aggression against Ukraine is usually a reliable way to get cheers on German stages. Not so in Leipzig. There, Rod Stewart (79) was booed at the weekend when he took a stand against Putin.
On Friday, Rod Stewart stopped in the Saxon city as part of his farewell tour. According to observers present, the concert went well. Until Stewart started singing “Rhythm of My Heart”. The Scotsman has always described the 1991 song as an anti-war song. Before Stewart sang the song, he shouted a juicy “Fuck Putin” into the crowd. After that, it probably went quiet in the Quarterback Immobilien Arena. The superstar lost the audience.
Whistles after salute for Selenskyj
During the song, images of Ukrainian flags and moments from the war were shown on the screen. At the end, Rod Stewart saluted the larger-than-life portrait of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj (46). This was met with boos and whistles from the crowd, as can be heard on recordings of the concert.
Not all concertgoers are said to have reacted so hostilely, however. Some are said to have expressed their approval of Stewart’s gesture.
Rod Stewart called Putin an “asshole”
Rod Stewart has never made a secret of which side he is on in the war in Ukraine. He likes to use strong language to do so. In February 2024, he called Vladimir Putin an “asshole” in an interview with “Sky News”. Rod Stewart does not stop at words and public expressions of solidarity. In October 2022, for example, he rented a house for a family of seven who had fled Ukraine.
On Sunday, Rod Stewart performed in Berlin. There, too, he saluted Volodymyr Selenskyj on stage, but in the capital he was met with nothing but cheers.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
