Leonard Cohen's estate asks Donald Trump not to use "Hallelujah" at a political event

Those responsible for Leonard Cohen's estate have officially requested that Donald Trump stop using "Hallelujah" during political events and rallies. According to the administrators of the Canadian singer's work, the song does not represent the messages associated with the former American president's campaign and should not be used in this context. "Hallelujah", originally released in 1984, became one of Leonard Cohen's best-known compositions and gained worldwide recognition through numerous re-recordings made by artists such as Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, John Cale and k.d. lang. Although many people interpret the song as a religious song, Cohen has always explained that its lyrics bring together biblical references, reflections on love, spirituality, failures and human relationships. The estate's request follows a trend observed in recent years, when several artists began to speak out against the use of their music in political campaigns without authorization or in situations with which they do not agree. Similar cases have involved names like Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, R.E.M., The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty and other musicians. The team responsible for Leonard Cohen's work reinforced that it intends to protect the artistic integrity of the song and avoid political associations that do not reflect the composer's thoughts.