Elton John's private life 'is none of our business,' said Mawazine festival director Aziz Daki, adding that artists are invited 'on the basis of the quality of their performance on stage and according to their artistic career.'Elton John's private life 'is none of our business,' said Mawazine festival director Aziz Daki, adding that artists are invited 'on the basis of the quality of their performance on stage and according to their artistic career.' (Michael Dwyer/Associated Press)An upcoming Elton John concert in Morocco will proceed as planned this month, despite a call to bar him because he's gay.

The Islamist Justice and Development Party, Morocco's main opposition, called last week for a ban of the famed British pop musician, who is slated to play a concert in Rabat at the Mawazine Festival on May 26.

Party officials argued that John's concert had "a risk of encouraging homosexuality in Morocco."

Festival artistic director Aziz Daki defended the pop icon and refused to cancel the concert, saying that banning an act because of sexual orientation would "undermine the respect and privacy and breach certain values that the international Mawazine festival is based on."

Noting John's status as "one of the world's top pop singers and composers," Daki added that Mawazine organizers "invite artists on the basis of the quality of their performance on stage and according to their artistic career… [John's] private life is none of our business."

The event, which runs May 21 to 29, is an eclectic celebration of music featuring Moroccan and international artists. Among the wide range of performers on the bill are B.B. King, Angelique Kidjo, Harry Connick Jr., Carlos Santana, Mika, Julio Iglesias and Sting.

Last week, Egypt's Musician Union blocked John from performing at an upcoming private concert, citing "anti-religious sentiments" that the 63-year-old singer-songwriter revealed in an interview.

Speaking to the U.S. magazine Parade earlier this year, John complained that there was no tolerance for homosexuals in the Middle East and also claimed that Jesus was "a super-intelligent gay man."

John's comments angered the head of the Musician Union, which authorizes foreign performances in Egypt.

"How do we allow a gay who wants to ban religions, claimed that the prophet Eissa [Jesus] was gay and calls for Middle Eastern countries to allow gays to have sexual freedom [to perform in Egypt]?" Mounir al Wasimi told German Press Agency DPA.