PITTSBURGH — Nick Jonas is replacing Iggy Azalea as the headline performer at a Pittsburgh gay pride event.
Azalea withdrew from Saturday’s Pride in the Street concert amid criticism for making anti-gay and racist remarks on social media.
Jonas seemed a natural choice to replace Azalea. The 22-year-old former Jonas Brothers frontman has a sizable gay following and plays a gay boxer on the DirecTV series “Kingdom.”
“Having grown up in the theater and having made a lot of friends that were gay at an early age, it’s really, I think, great exposure to that community and the importance … as a heterosexual male speaking up and doing all I can to be of support,” Jonas said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday.
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Azalea dropped out as she and the event’s organizer, the Delta Foundation, faced pressure from advocacy groups who said her social media remarks were inconsistent with values of acceptance.
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Other performers include DJ Digital Dave, DJ Strobe, Thea Trix, Chance Encounters and Steel Pan Pittsburgh.
Jonas has recently had success with the hit songs, “Jealous” and “Chains.”
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