We all remember last year’s Slope Day fiasco, when Kehlani’s invitation to be the event’s headliner was revoked days after being announced. Last week, EDM duo The Chainsmokers were revealed as the Slope Day artist, whose hits like “Something Just Like This” and “Don’t Let Me Down” shot them to the top of the music industry.
But who cares, really?
What we want to know is what they think about the United States’ involvement in the Middle East. While neither member of the duo has explicitly stated their political beliefs, that doesn’t mean we can’t figure it out.
The first line in “Closer (feat. Halsey)” is “I was doing just fine before I met you.” This is clearly a reference to the 1953 Iranian coup d’état, which saw then-Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh overthrown by a coalition of forces including the CIA. The lyrics are written from the perspective of the Iranian people, who were “doing just fine” before Western powers became involved. The Chainsmokers are therefore openly opposed to U.S. involvement in Iran, taking a concerningly isolationist stance. Not sure how we feel about that one, but we’re guessing that “roommate back in Boulder” is probably still pissed about their mattress and, now, possibly U.S. foreign policy as well.
Next up, we have “Don’t Let Me Down,” a song which features Daya, this Slope Day’s supporting performer. Some fans think this anthem is about a relationship, while other, smarter fans have correctly identified it as a direct appeal to American policymakers. Iranians, voiced by Daya in this case, are urging global powers to not “let them down” like in past conflicts. The repeated chorus underscores the urgency of the situation and also the fact that the Chainsmokers only wrote one line for the hook. We stan empaths!
Perhaps most disturbingly, The Chainsmokers seem to be mocking Islam itself with their stage name. While smoking is not explicitly prohibited in the Quran, most Muslim scholars agree that tobacco products are haram. It’s unclear whether their name is an intentional affront to the majority-Islamic Iranian populace, or just something they came up with in 2012.
