The Cuban singer Hallel Génesis responded on Tuesday to the criticisms generated by her performance at the "Summer Kickoff 2K26" festival in Varadero, posting a message on Instagram in which she invoked her faith and expressed gratitude for the support of her followers.
"The one who is happy and has God in their heart does not criticize juju," wrote the artist, based in Miami, in a post that garnered almost 4,847 likes and 327 comments. In the same message, she thanked those who supported her: "And of course, I have read all the lovely messages and comments you have sent me; I have the best followers in the world, forget about the rest, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH."
The reaction came after the viral spread of a video of her performance in which the event audience remained practically motionless while she energetically sang on stage.
The clip was posted on Tuesday by the account @lafamiliacubana_oficial on TikTok and sparked a wave of mixed comments: some pointed out sound technical issues as a determining factor, with remarks like "Clearly the sound engineer doesn't like her," while others suggested that her musical style clashed with the festival's atmosphere.
Before that more direct message, Hallel had already responded with humor by posting a short video on Instagram titled "a déjà vu," in which the phrase "A ruckus at the beginning, hands up" can be heard, winking at his own song "As the chorus goes," released with Yomil in June 2025.
Among the supportive comments on her post, fans echoed that very phrase as a sign of backing. "You have a beautiful voice! It just wasn't the right place for your talent, too high-level for those parties," wrote one follower. Another added, "Hallel, I think you should change your audience because, unfortunately, our compatriots love to kick a fallen tree."
However, critical voices were not lacking. A comment that summed up the detractors' stance was: "You have God, but you missed the playback on stage."
The "Beginning of Summer 2K26" festival took place at the Resonance Musique Hotel in Varadero for 72 continuous hours, featuring a lineup that included Yomil, Ja Rulay, Wildey, Zurdo MC, and El Micha. The event was already controversial before it even began: the Pichy Boys criticized it on May 31 as an attempt by the regime to "demonstrate normalcy" amid the crisis, and tickets were managed through Gaviota Tours, a state-owned company linked to GAESA. Yomil also denounced the disorganization of the event after having to perform at 5:00 AM.
During that same visit to Cuba, Hallel made a gesture of solidarity by giving baby items to pregnant women at the Maternal Home in Güines, in the province of Mayabeque, clarifying that he was not doing it "to prove anything."
Several comments on the post mention a second performance scheduled for Saturday, June 7, with messages like "see you Saturday for pt2," suggesting that Hallel has no intention of lowering the profile after the controversy.
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