Pop star receives death threats for using black actor in music video

Sophie Elise told Radio 1 Newsbeat that she came under fire online.

DUBAI: A Norwegian singer said she has received death threats after using a black actor in her latest music video.
Sophie Elise told Radio 1 Newsbeat that she came under fire online due to black actor’s portrayal of her love interest in the video for her new song, “All Your Friends.”
“There’s been so much hate, it’s the most brutal thing I’ve seen in my life.
“The video was supposed to be about love. It just shows that it’s 2017 but we haven’t gone very far,” she said.
Elise, 22, added that she is afraid to leave her house and has suspended her Instagram account over the online abuse.
The pop star was recently signed by the Universal Music Group, which has also signed Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber.
Comments on the YouTube post of the video included death threats and racist and sexist abuse.
“I actually didn’t want to remove the comments because I wanted people to see that this type of thing still goes on.
“I’ve been a public figure in Norway for about six years so I am used to getting a lot of hate.
“But I really didn’t think people would care about the guy’s skin color in my video.”
The star says she has not been put off using black models or actors in her future videos.
“You know my friends who are black got really sad because they were questioning like, ‘Are we worth less?’
“Also I’m really sad for my parents because they are worried about me and I don’t want them to see things like this.
“The best thing I can do is just keep making music and beautiful videos and keep sticking-up for what I believe in.”