The Cuban singer Hallel Génesis responded this Tuesday to the criticism generated by her performance at the "Summer Start 2K26" festival in Varadero, posting a message on Instagram in which she invoked her faith and thanked her supporters for their backing.
"The one who is happy and has God in their heart doesn’t criticize juju," wrote the artist, based in Miami, in a post that garnered almost 4,847 likes and 327 comments. In the same text, she thanked those who supported her: "And obviously 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 still 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 technical sound issues as a determining factor, with remarks like "Clearly, the sound engineer doesn't like her," while others noted 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 commotion at the start, hand up" can be heard, in a nod to his own song "As the chorus says," released with Yomil in June 2025.
Among the supportive comments on her post, fans echoed that very phrase as a show of support. "You have a beautiful voice! It just wasn't the right place for your talent, too much level for those parties," wrote one follower. Another added, "Hallel, I think you need to change your audience because, unfortunately, our countrymen love to criticize those who fall."
However, critical voices were not absent. One comment that encapsulated the stance of the detractors was: "You have God, but you were missing the playback on stage."
The "Start of Summer 2K26" festival took place at the Resonance Musique Hotel in Varadero over a span of 72 continuous hours, featuring a lineup that included Yomil, Ja Rulay, Wildey, Zurdo MC, and El Micha. The event was already controversial before it began: the Pichy Boys criticized it on May 31 as an attempt by the regime to "show 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 donating baby items to pregnant women at the Maternity 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 on Saturday for pt2," which suggests that Hallel has no intention of toning down after the controversy.
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