Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan will help mark Jimmy Kimmel’s return to late-night television after a weeklong suspension that stirred debate over free speech in the United States. The Halifax-born musician is scheduled to perform Tuesday on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” as part of a promotional appearance tied to her new album Better Broken and her Hulu-distributed documentary Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery.
“So happy that Jimmy Kimmel is back on the air and even happier to be performing on @JimmyKimmelLive TONIGHT,” McLachlan wrote on Instagram ahead of her appearance.
The broadcast will be Kimmel’s first since ABC pulled him off the air over remarks he made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The network’s decision sparked a political storm about freedom of expression and President Donald Trump’s willingness to exert influence over journalists and entertainers. While Kimmel’s show returns in Canada on Citytv, some ABC affiliates in the United States, including stations owned by Nexstar Media Group, have said they will not air his comeback episode until they receive “assurances” about a more respectful environment.
McLachlan herself has recently underscored her concerns about shrinking space for open dialogue. Over the weekend, she cancelled a performance at the Los Angeles premiere of her documentary, framing the decision as a gesture of solidarity for free speech. “I was concerned about the erosion of people’s rights, including the muzzling of free speech,” she told the audience, though she avoided directly addressing Kimmel’s suspension or the show’s corporate ties to Disney.
Her latest record, Better Broken, is her 10th studio album and reflects on the last decade of her life, including personal struggles and raising two daughters. The accompanying documentary revisits the groundbreaking Lilith Fair festival, highlighting both its cultural legacy and the fierce backlash McLachlan endured over its pro-choice stance. “It’s a perfect time to remind women that if we stand up and work together, we can create change,” she told The Canadian Press last month.
For McLachlan, Tuesday’s performance is both a continuation of her artistic promotion and a subtle statement on the broader conversation around expression, politics, and art—a spotlight amplified by the controversy surrounding Kimmel’s return.