Chinese officials ban Katy Perry from performing at Victoria’s Secret show

Katy Perry has been denied entry to China for her upcoming performance at Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show to be held in Shanghai, Page Six reported. Chinese officials denied the visa application of the songstress who has appeared in previous Victoria’s Secret shows in the past.

Perry was initially granted a visa to perform in this East Asian nation but Chinese officials changed their mind after her controversial act in 2015.

During that time, the singer offended the locals for wearing a controversial sunflower-inspired outfit in Taipei, Taiwan.

She also used a Taiwanese flag during a concert in support of China. Taiwan has been in conflict with the nation for several years over sovereignty issues.

Artists who are slated to perform in China will have to go through officials who will examine their social media accounts and press appearances to see if they have offended the locals at some points in their career. Perry was not the only Western artist banned in the region as Maroon 5 was also prohibited to perform in the country after a controversial tweet.

Banned models

The annual Victoria’s Secret fashion show gathers several supermodels from different parts of the globe to showcase the best styles of the brand. This year, it will be held in Shanghai and will collaborate with renowned fashion brand Balmain.

However, some of the models previously cast to walk on the runway are also experiencing visa issues and some were denied entry. One of them is 22-year-old Gigi Hadid who has recently pulled out of the show, Independent.ie reported.

She has not been allowed to set foot in the country after her offensive remarks against Buddhism which even trended on social media. In the video posted online, she was seen mocking the face of Buddha through imitating the facial expression of a Buddha cookie when she dined with her sister Bella.

Furthermore, long-time Victoria’s Secret model Adriana Lima is also experiencing visa-related issues. She has been “held up” because of an “ongoing diplomatic problem.” Models Irina Sharipova, Kate Grigorieva, and Julia Belyakova have also been denied entry.

Performers

Harry Styles will replace Katy Perry as one of the major performers during the event. According to executive producer Ed Razek, the performers will also include Grammy award-winning artist Miguel, “Hamilton” star Leslie Odom Jr. and Chinese artist Jane Zhang, People reported.

Despite the negative reports released, Razek said that the show will “be the biggest fashion event in history and will be their “most ambitious” presentation by far. Unfazed about these issues, he added that the Chinese people “have been wonderful and enthusiastic hosts and partners.”

The show will be held on November 20. It will be aired on CBS on November 28.