Camila Cabello Explains Backup Dancer’s Makeup After ‘Blackface’ Accusations

The rollout for Camila Cabello’s new album got off to a shaky start last week when the stage makeup worn by one of her backup dancers drew online backlash.

Cabello on Friday appeared on “The Tonight Show” to perform “Don’t Go Yet,” which will appear on her forthcoming album “Familia.” The high-energy, tightly choreographed number, however, was hit with criticism when viewers noticed dancer Dylan Pearce sporting what some interpreted as blackface.

“Camila, I love you, but ok, there’s a mistake in your performance, one of the dancers was practicing blackface and that’s unforgivable,” one person tweeted. “You wanted representation but failed, pay more attention.” Added another: “Camila Cabello really had a man in blackface on national television in 2021 and she’s still about to have a career…”

Watch Camila Cabello perform “Don’t Go Yet” below. 

Cabello, who is Cuban American, posted a note to her social media pages Sunday clarifying that Pearce was meant to look like “a white man with a terrible spray tan.”