Jay-Z’s Made In America festival cancelled for 2023 due to “severe circumstances”
Jay-Z‘s Made In America festival has been cancelled for 2023 due to “severe circumstances”.
The annual festival was due to be held next month (September 2-3) in Philadelphia and headlined by SZA and Lizzo.
In their statement announcing the cancellation, festival organisers said the decision was made “due to severe circumstances outside of production control.”
They added: “This decision has been difficult and has not been made lightly nor without immense deliberation.
“Made in America has a legacy of delivering exceptional experiences for music fans and concert goers, and it is our commitment to always deliver a top-tier festival experience.
We look forward to returning to Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the great city of
Philadelphia in 2024.”
— Made In America Festival (@MIAFestival) August 8, 2023
It has not been revealed whether the cancellation is related to festival headliner Lizzo’s recent legal troubles. Last month, it was revealed that the singer is being sued by three of her former dancers, who cite accusations of sexual harassment and a hostile work environment.
Lizzo then responded and said she was “hurt” by the “sensationalised” accusations, while two of the dancers have spoken to Sky News and alleged that they tried to “settle” the disagreement “in-house” before filing a lawsuit, but claim they were met with a “rebuttal” from Lizzo’s team.
“These sensationalised stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional,” Lizzo said in response to the lawsuit.
“As an artist I have always been very passionate about what I do. I take my music and my performances seriously because at the end of the day I only want to put out the best art that represents me and my fans.”
Made In America festival returned in 2021 after its 2020 edition was cancelled due to COVID.
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Will Richards
NME
