Justin Bieber says he’s sorry, but the show won’t go on
Justin Bieber has performed more than 150 shows in 40 countries across six continents and 16 months on his “Purpose” world tour. But the final 14 scheduled dates were just too much.
On Monday, he cancelled his remaining concerts for this year, which were spread across four months and included shows in Toronto, New Jersey, Hong Kong and Singapore, citing only “unforeseen circumstances.”
“Justin loves his fans and hates to disappoint them,” a statement sent by a publicist said. “However, after careful consideration he has decided he will not be performing any further dates. Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase.” (Last week, the Stratford, Ont., native had been barred from performing in mainland China because of past “bad behaviour.”)
In a note on Instagram on Monday night, Bieber’s longtime manager, Scooter Braun, thanked the tour’s promoter, AEG Presents, and the singer’s record-label parent company, Universal Music Group. But he also defended the cancellations, adding that “a man’s soul and well-being I truly care about came first and We must all respect and honor (sic) that.”
Bieber also received support on Twitter from John Mayer, a fellow touring stalwart who also gained in- ordinate amounts of fame as a young man. “When someone pulls remaining dates of a tour,” Mayer wrote, “it means they would have done real damage to themselves if they kept going.”
The gossip site TMZ reported Tuesday that Bieber ended the tour because he has rededicated his life to his Christian faith.
TMZ reported that Bieber has of late been close with Carl Lentz, a Hillsong Church pastor in New York City. But TMZ later reported that when approached by media Tuesday, the star denied the cancellation had anything to do with his spirituality.
Fan reaction to the news was swift and plentiful online, split along the lines of disappointment and understanding. On Instagram, commenters flooded his page with purple heart emojis and messages like, “We respect your decisions.”
In a brief video interview published Monday evening by TMZ, Bieber, looking casual in front of a gigantic black pickup truck, said: “Everything’s fine. I’ve been on tour for two years.” Asked about his downtime, the singer added, “Just resting, getting some relaxation — we’re gonna ride some bikes.”
And, as he has done so many times over the years, Bieber apologized to his listeners. “Sorry for anybody who feels disappointed or betrayed,” he said. “Have a blessed day.”