The Weeknd Delays ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’ Album & Cancels Rose Bowl Concert Amid LA Wildfires
The Weeknd has delayed the release of his highly anticipated album Hurry Up Tomorrow in light of the ongoing wildfire crisis in Los Angeles. His album release show at the Rose Bowl, which had been slated for Jan. 25, has also been canceled.
The hitmaker broke the news to fans Monday (Jan. 13) with a post on Instagram. “Out of respect and concern for the people of Los Angeles County, the Rose Bowl Show has been cancelled and the album date has been postponed to 01.31.25,” reads the message, which he signed, “With love, Abel.”
“The city has always been a profound source of inspiration for me, and my thoughts are with everyone impacted during this difficult time,” it continues. “My focus remains on supporting the recovery of these communities and aiding its incredible people as they rebuild.”
Hurry Up Tomorrow, the highly anticipated third act of The Weeknd’s album trilogy — which began with 2020’s Billboard 200-topper After Hours and continued with 2022’s Dawn FM — had originally been slated to arrive Jan. 24. He had planned to celebrate the release the next day with a “One Night Only” performance at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena; the arena is currently being used as a donation collection site for L.A. residents affected by the fires, according to NBC4 Los Angeles.
Fans who purchased tickets for the showcase through Ticketmaster will receive refunds automatically. Those who bought seats from a third-party reseller should reach out to their points of purchase.
The Weeknd’s announcement comes about six days after wind-fueled fires first broke out in Pacific Palisades, rapidly traveling across the Los Angeles area faster than first responders could put them out. More blazes have since broken out in areas affecting the Hollywood Hills, Pasadena, Altadena, Sylmar and Calabasas, displacing tens of thousands of residents and burning down countless structures across a combined 38,549 acres, according to CNN. The news site also reports that at least 24 people have died in the destruction.
The Weeknd’s concert is just the latest L.A. event to be canceled due to the fires. Multiple other shows in the area have also been removed from the calendar, as have a number of pre-Grammys parties. The Grammys are still expected to go live Feb. 2 at Crypto.com Arena, while the Critics Choice Awards have been postponed from Jan. 12 to Jan. 26.
See The Weeknd’s announcement below.
Hannah Dailey
Billboard
