Usher Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Usher sent a message to fans after his Lovers & Friends Festival was canceled due to weather hours before it was scheduled to begin.
“Mannn…I’m just as disappointed as you are,” Usher, 45, wrote via X on Saturday, May 4. “We were getting ready to turn up and celebrate today. I have to follow the orders of city officials and the National Weather Service for everyone’s protection and stand strong in my belief that everything happens for a reason.”
He continued, “I’m sorry we won’t get to see each other today, but know that I am always working on something to express my heartfelt gratitude for each and every one of you who continue to support me. I’ll see you soon.”
The festival — which was named after Usher’s 2004 track with Ludacris and Lil Jon — shared a statement via its social media and official website on Saturday, notifying attendees of the cancellation.
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“Saturday’s Lovers & Friends Festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds has been canceled,” the statement began, adding that organizers had been “monitoring the weather for several days and proactively preparing for a windy Saturday.”
The statement noted that the National Weather Service issued a “High Wind Warning, including dangerous 30-35 mph sustained winds with gusts potentially more than 60mph.”
“Following advice from the National Weather Service and in consultation with local public officials, we must make the safest decision for our fans, artists, and staff, and cancel tomorrow’s Lovers & Friends Festival,” the statement continued. “This was an incredibly heartbreaking decision to make as we are aware that fans have traveled from all over the world to enjoy this incredible lineup of superstars and have been looking forward to this event for several months.”
Ludacris, Usher, and Lil Jon perform onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation
The statement concluded, “We’ve worked hard to create an amazing event for you, and we are just as disappointed as you are.”
The event organizers noted that fans who purchased their tickets directly through Front Gate Tickets would receive a refund within 30 days.
Stars like Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne, Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg and Ludacris were expected to take the stage on Saturday.
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After finding out the news of the festival’s cancellation, Keys, 43, took to her Instagram Story to also share her disappointment.
“Guys we’re so bummed out because we just heard that the Lovers & Friends Festival is canceled today,” she began in a video. “We were like, ‘What? What do you mean?’ But obviously, with the wind the way that it is, I mean, it could get dangerous and we can’t put anybody at risk for being hurt. But yo, when I tell you how excited I was to see my friends, to catch these shows, there were so many fresh people, the set that I was about to do, by the way.”
While noting that she’s “sad,” Keys made sure to send a message to her supportive fans.
“Thank you so much for coming through, for being understanding that we want to make sure this is a safe thing, you know, that it has to be safe for everybody. Love you so much and I feel the same way you do.”
