The Janelle Monáe & Kimbra Australian Tour 2014 has been cancelled.
A statement from promoters Live Nation issued this evening confirms that the pair’s co-headline Golden Electric Tour has been axed.
“Due to Janelle Monáe’s continuing illness it has been confirmed that the remainder of The Golden Electric Tour has been cancelled and there will be no rescheduled performances,” reads the statement.
A full statement “including refund information” will be issued by Live Nation tomorrow.
UPDATE 21/05/14: A statement from Live Nation issued this morning offering apologies from the concert promoter and the twin headliners confirms that “Ticket holders will be contacted by the relevant ticketing outlet to advise of the process for obtaining a refund.”
It also notes that “Ms Monáe became ill after arriving in Australia” and following her sickness affecting the first two date of the tour, the singer “has now been advised that she should not attempt to perform at this time, leaving no alternative other than to cancel all remaining show dates scheduled for the Australian and New Zealand tour. Ms Monáe is devastated at not being able to perform for her fans and has vowed to return to our shores in the not-too-distant future.”
Janelle Monáe’s illness forced her to cancel on her appearance at the opening date of the pair’s co-headline tour in Melbourne on Saturday night. Just minutes before she was scheduled to appear, following an opening set from Kimbra, the Atlanta performer’s band arrived on-stage to deliver the sad news to a disappointed audience.
Under doctor’s orders, the sudden illness also saw a scheduled performance at the Sydney Opera House postponed while Monáe remianed in “Melbourne under medical supervision to assess her recovery,” leading many to fret that her condition would put the Brisbane show – scheduled for tomorrow night – at risk.
Now the sad news confirms that The Electric Lady-hitmaker is unable to fulfil the rest of what was to be her debut headline Australian tour. 
Janelle Monáe’s band announcing the cancellation at The Forum (Photo: Len Panecki. Source: Kimbra @ The Forum Tone Deaf Gallery)
The opening – and now only – date of The Golden Electric tour in Melbourne saw Kimbra airing a handful of new songs from her forthcoming star-studded new album, The Golden Echo out in August (via Warner Bros), including her new single ’90s Music’ (which on record features Muse’s Matt Bellamy and Mark Foster of Foster The People).
Following the Melbourne cancellation, the Grammy-winning New Zealander wished her touring partner a swift recovery from her sudden illness, tweeting: “Let’s all lift up our thoughts & prayers for Janelle Monáe.” Following the cancellation, the singer once again took to twitter to express her disappointment at the cancellation.
So disappointed that we can't continue the #goldenelectrictour – we wish @JanelleMonae the speediest of recoveries. We will be back. X
— Kimbra (@kimbramusic) May 20, 2014
Janelle Monáe & Kimbra Australian Tour 2014
Saturday May 17 – The Forum, Melbourne
Monday May 19 – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Wednesday May 21 – Convention Centre, Brisbane
Monday May 26 – The Plenary, Melbourne
Info at www.livenation.com.au
