Belgian pop star Stromae has announced the cancellation of 14 sold-out European tour dates due to health reasons.
ADVERTISEMENTBelgian pop star Paul van Haver, better known by his stage name Stromae, has announced the cancellation of 14 sold-out European tour dates due to health reasons.
"I have come to the realisation that my current health state does not allow me to come and meet all of you at the moment," the musician said on his social media accounts. He expressed his dismay, but also said acknowledging his limitations was the right thing to do.
"Surrounded by my family I have to take the time to get better in order to resume performing," he wrote. "I hope to give you more positive news very soon. I am looking forward to seeing all of you and to resume this tour alongside my teams who have been supporting me all throughout these years. Look after yourselves."
Described as one of the biggest French-speaking artists in the world and known to many for his 2010 hit single 'Alors On Danse', which topped the charts in 19 countries, Stromae previously cancelled multiple concert dates in France during the second half of March 2023.
The 38-year-old singer has always been open about his mental health and previous suicidal thoughts. In 2018, he admitted in an interview with French channel France 2 that he had had burnouts in the past.
"I don't want to offend people who came to my concerts by saying this, but (concerts) became a little less pleasure, and more a real job," he confided.
He returned to performing in 2022 after a seven-year hiatus, having stopped performing in 2015 when he pulled out of a tour of Africa. He later said that was due to burnout and the side-effects of anti-malaria medication he had taken.
He returned last year with his comeback album, ‘Multitude’, which featured the song ‘L’Enfer’ (‘Hell’), in which he refers to his mental health:
J'ai parfois eu des pensées suicidaires
Et j'en suis peu fier
On croit parfois que c'est la seule manière de les faire taire
Ces pensées qui nous font vivre un enfer
Ces pensées qui me font vivre un enfer
I’ve sometimes had suicidal thoughts
And I'm not proud of it
Sometimes you think that's the only way to shut them up
These thoughts that make our lives hell
These thoughts that make my life hell
His upcoming dates on the 2023 Multitude Tour until the end of May had included Amsterdam, London, Rome, Lyon and Berlin. He still has dates remaining on his tour in June, including his home city of Brussels, Lille, and Paris.
