One Direction performing live. Photo Credit: Javierosh
Liam Payne has officially shelved his South America tour, which had been scheduled for next month, after developing “a bad kidney infection.”
The 29-year-old took to social media this afternoon to reveal the unfortunate news, which has canceled shows that would have taken place on September 1st (in Lima, Peru), the 3rd (Bogota, Colombia), the 5th (Santiago, Chile), the 7th (Sao Paulo, Brazil), the 9th (Buenos Aires, Argentina), and the 12th (Mexico City, Mexico).
“Hey, guys, this really is the last thing I want to be telling you,” a downcast-looking Payne informed supporters in a video, “but basically, I’ve been a little bit unwell recently. And I ended up in the hospital with a bad kidney infection.
“We started rehearsals, and I’ve just been advised that now’s really not the right time to be out on the road trying to recover from this. I’ve all the best people around me at home trying to help me recover as we speak. But yeah, we’re going to have to reschedule the tour.
“Please look out for ways to refund your tickets, and I’m looking forward to seeing you guys soon. Hopefully, we’ll put on an even bigger, better show. Thank you. I’m sorry,” he finished.
In text that accompanied the message, the One Direction member made clear that he and his team will be “working to re-schedule the tour as soon as we possibly can.” Meanwhile, diehard followers on Instagram, Twitter/X, and elsewhere are wishing Payne well on his recovery journey and offering encouraging words.
Though the subject didn’t come up in these supportive messages – including photos of handwritten notes from particularly passionate fans – those with tickets to the nixed happenings are undoubtedly relieved to receive prompt refunds. In the not-so-distant past, other high-profile acts faced far-reaching criticism for continually postponing gigs (and preventing refunds in the process) while grappling with medical issues.
More broadly, the less-than-ideal situation and adjacent concert cancellations underscore the inherent unpredictability associated with executing tours.
With multiple acts having publicly addressed the considerable expenses of touring in the ultra-crowded post-COVID entertainment landscape, Lil Baby last month axed some 10 dates from his It’s Only Us concert series amid reports of tepid ticket sales.
Also in July, a bomb threat prevented Noel Gallagher from entertaining fans in Saratoga, New York. However, the 56-year-old Oasis alum’s tour stops have gone off without a hitch in the interim, and earlier this week, he added an additional show to his planned late November visit to Seoul.
