Picture this: You’ve been waiting years to see your favorite artist live and after the wild ride that was the COVID-19 pandemic, the time has finally come. Except in this case, it ends before it even begins. Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, country band Lady A and others have canceled upcoming shows for unforeseen reasons.
This June, Justin Bieber announced that he was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome (RHS), a neurological disorder that affects the ear and facial nerves, leading to facial paralysis. right side it is related to the virus that causes chickenpox and can lead to shingles later in life, but will occasionally develop into the rare Bell’s palsy-like condition that Bieber suffers from. After posting a crushing video on her social media, the comments section was flooded with concerned fans expressing outpouring of support. East mailshowing half of his face immobilized, he exceeded 60 million views on Instagram.
“I think it’s really important to prioritize mental health and physical health especially,” Ava Sapano ’25 said. “Touring is a tiring process, so you really have to consider your own health.”
After announcing that she would be taking a short break from her “Justice” world tour, bieber said he will be “using this time to kick back and relax and get back to 100% so I can do what I was born to do.”
“For those who are frustrated with my cancellations of upcoming shows, obviously I’m not physically capable of doing them.” Bieber said. “I wish this wasn’t the case, but obviously my body is telling me to slow down.”
He returned to the stage in early August hoping to play the rest of his shows, but announced to fans on September 6 that he was canceling the rest of his world tour to prioritize his health. She said on his Instagram story: “I realized that I need to make my health a priority right now. So I’m going to take a break from touring for the time being.”
All the students at Marist College seem to understand this decision. Although some believe that postponing the tour instead of canceling it would be more fair to the fans.
Justin Bieber isn’t the only teen heartthrob who’s decided to take a break from touring this year. On July 27, Shawn Mendes announced that he would be canceling his “Wonder” world tour due to mental health issues after rediscovering the overwhelming pressure of touring and performing live.
“I know you all have been waiting so long to watch these shows and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but I promise I’ll be back as soon as I’ve had adequate time to heal,” the “points” singer wrote on Instagram. “We were hopeful that we could continue with the rest of the dates after some much-needed time off, but right now I have to put my health as the first priority.”
after starting The Shawn Mendes Foundation In August 2019, it became clear that the mental health and well-being of young people was important to the 24-year-old pop singer. This organization works to give our younger generation a voice and the power to speak out about unfortunate issues. The idea for this empowerment project was inspired by “young change agents she met while traveling the world.”
Considering that Mendes has done so much for those in need through this charity, it is assumed that his fans will respect his decision. Some have and some have not, but most Marist students recognize the importance of these celebrities taking care of themselves.
Sapano said, “I know the fans will be disappointed, but if the artist isn’t 100%, they shouldn’t be forced to tour just to please the fans.”
Mental health can be affected by many different factors. As for Mendes, it was the pressure of touring after the pandemic that caused him to put his “Wonder” world tour on hold. For Charles Kelley of country group Lady A, it was his worsening battle with sobriety that prompted the band to make a similar decision. Following the theme, Lady A announced the cancellation of her tour through her Instagram account. They wrote on August 4, “We are a band, but more importantly…we are family. We are proud to say that Charles has embarked on a journey towards sobriety.”
The trio not only postponed their tour until 2023, but also pulled out of a upcoming performance at the Nebraska State Fair scheduled for September.
Being in the public eye while on tour would put a lot of pressure on Kelley, so while it was a tough decision, the band felt it was necessary. Tess Donovan ’25 said, “A big part of tour culture is going out and partying, so if Kelley was in that environment, he’d be more inclined to break his sobriety.”
