Anitta defends her Afro

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s biggest pop star, Anitta, has released a music video depicting rituals of the Afro-Brazilian faith Candomble, sparking controversy in a country where religious intolerance is all too common.

Her track — pointedly named “Accept” — has been viewed over a million times on YouTube since its release on Tuesday. It is a rare personal offering from the artist, who has long practiced the religion in Rio de Janeiro. Anitta said she lost 200,000 of her 65 million followers on Instagram after its release.

“I’ve already talked about my religion countless times, but it seems that leaving an artistic work in my catalog forever was too much for those who don’t accept that others think differently,” Anitta said on social media Tuesday. Trolls deriding Candomble appeared far outnumbered by those expressing support.

Criticism from a minority of social media users continued overnight, and she issued another statement Wednesday to denounce misinformation and jokes targeting Afro-Brazilian faiths.