Steven Hall, the musician who performs under the moniker Nirosta Steel, has released a formal statement following public scrutiny regarding his activity on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote. The 69-year-old artist found himself at the center of a controversy after users alleged that he had been following accounts featuring AI-generated content and minors.
“I want to give my response to some speculation swirling around on the internet recently,” Hall wrote in a statement provided to the press. “A few weeks ago my husband told me people on Rednote were getting into my music, so I went on to take a look and followed a bunch of accounts quickly without paying much attention to what they posted.”
Hall expressed surprise upon learning of the nature of the accounts he had engaged with. “I was really surprised when a friend sent me screenshots of accounts I followed,” he continued. “I did not realize that a few of the accounts contained highly toxic content, so I deleted my profile. Those accounts don’t reflect my interests in any way. I understand the concern, but I can’t help thinking that ageism and homophobia are also factors in the discussion surrounding me.”
now wtf is nirosta steel following suspicious ai shotacon accounts and random kids on xiaohongshu????? pic.twitter.com/5SGKpcifqp
— simonwestgate (@simonwestgate) August 24, 2026
In his closing remarks, Hall apologized to his fanbase for the misunderstanding and acknowledged the necessity for greater digital literacy. “I need to be more careful on social media. I ask that you have a little grace for an old hippie who doesn’t know his way around the internet.”
The fallout from the incident has been swift. Tone Glow, the publication responsible for presenting two of Steel’s upcoming performances in Chicago, announced that the shows, originally scheduled for September 18 and 19 at The Hideout, have been canceled.
The controversy gained traction after a user on X shared screenshots of the accounts followed by Hall’s profile. Shortly after the allegations surfaced, the account was deactivated.
