The highly anticipated Soulshine at Sea music cruise, set to embark in November, has been abruptly canceled following serious allegations of sexual abuse and grooming against its headliner, Michael Franti. The San Francisco musician has publicly denied these claims. The festival promoter, Sixthman, announced the cancellation of the sold-out, four-day cruise from Miami to Cozumel on Sunday, August 17. This decision came in light of several artists, including ALO, Dispatch, Maggie Rose, Liz Vice, and Tank and the Bangas, withdrawing from the event due to what they described as “deeply concerning allegations” against Franti.
The controversy surrounding the cruise began when singer-songwriter Victoria Canal shared her experiences of a year-long abusive relationship with a significantly older man in the music industry via an Instagram post on August 11. Although Canal did not name the individual, she detailed how she felt groomed, manipulated, and isolated during this relationship. At the time, she was just 19 years old.
Canal expressed the struggle of holding onto such a traumatic experience for eight years, stating, “This is something I’ve never spoken about publicly, and have been holding for eight years now — it has plagued my body, spirit, and mind, in subliminal and overt ways, for my entire 20s.” She portrayed the man as “loving, charismatic, and principled” in public settings, yet controlling and abusive behind closed doors. Canal alleged that he touched and photographed her without consent, and gradually distanced her from her support network. “At the time, this person made me believe that if I ever told anyone what he was doing, my career would be over before it started,” she wrote.
While Canal did not explicitly name Franti in her post, she had previously credited him with discovering her on Instagram in 2018 and inviting her to join his tour. In response to the allegations, Franti stated, “I’m aware of the recent posts this artist made about our relationship, and while I support her need to express herself publicly, the relationship was completely consensual, based on mutual feelings and attraction.” He further emphasized, “I vehemently dispute any version of the story that says otherwise.”
Franti acknowledged the power dynamics at play, saying, “I will, however, take full accountability for not better recognizing the power imbalance — as she was younger than me, and I was the headliner on tour. For those reasons alone, I never should have allowed the relationship to become romantic.” His comments highlight the complexity of relationships within the music industry, especially those involving significant age differences and power disparities.
The cancellation of the Soulshine at Sea music cruise marks a significant moment in the music industry, raising questions about accountability and the responsibilities of artists in navigating their personal relationships. As the situation unfolds, many will be watching closely to see how it affects not only the artists involved but also the broader community of musicians and fans.
