Unpopular opinion: I reversed my stance on cancel culture after a musician's apology

I once backed online calls to cancel artists for offensive lyrics from their early work. When a rapper faced heat for lines he wrote as a teen, I thought he deserved the backlash. But after a folk singer issued a sincere apology for similar past comments and still lost gigs, I started to doubt. Now, I see that permanent punishment can stop people from growing and speaking up. Some argue that cancel culture protects groups from harm, while others say it hurts open talk. I wonder where we draw the line between accountability and forgiveness. What are your thoughts on this?