The bad news first, Olivia Rodrigo won’t be visiting Australia later this week. The good, she’ll be back next year.
The U.S. pop phenomenon has canceled her trip Down Under at short notice, citing “unforeseen circumstances.”
The “Vampire” singer was scheduled to visit Sydney for a fan Q&A event this Friday, Sept. 22, a session that was to include “an exclusive once-in-a-lifetime Q&A,” along with chances to win a meet and greet with the artist. “I can’t wait to get down to Australia,” she enthused in a statement issued Sept. 1, announcing the promo excursion. “I’ve never been and I’m so excited to meet everyone. I’ll see you soon Livies”.
Those plans are now scrapped.
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“We regret to inform you that due to unforeseen circumstances Olivia Rodrigo’s trip to Australia has been cancelled,” reads a statement from Universal Music Australia. “Unfortunately the fan Q&A event on Friday 22nd September will no longer be going ahead.”
The message contains a caveat. “Olivia is devastated that she won’t be able to make it,” the note continues, “however she’s so excited to see her Australian Livies in 2024.”
That hint at things to come is bound to keep fans on their toes. Just last week, Rodrigo announced two separate waves of dates for her Guts World Tour, which includes stops across North America, the U.K. and Continental Europe, but nothing in Australia.
Rodrigo’s popularity right now in Australia is, like elsewhere, sky-high. Her sophomore album Guts is the current No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, and all 12 tracks from it impact the national singles chart. Guts is the followup to Sour, Rodrigo’s 2021 debut which logged eight non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 in Australia. All told, three of her singles have led the official ARIA Chart: “Vampire,” “Drivers Licence” and “Good 4 U.”
Proceeds from each ticket for the Guts World Tour will benefit her new Fund 4 Good initiate, which will support community non-profits that work toward girls’ education, reproductive rights and prevent gender-based violence.
