Drake has officially called off the Australian and New Zealand shows that were originally postponed earlier this year.
After playing arena shows in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, the Canadian rapper was scheduled to play back-to-back nights in Auckland, as well as additional dates in Brisbane and Sydney throughout March. However, that run was cut short.
Rolling Stone AU/NZ broke the news at the time, with Drake’s rep citing “a scheduling conflict” as the reason behind the move.
Live Nation Australia has since confirmed that the postponed shows are now cancelled.
“Live Nation Australia regrets to inform you that the previously postponed Drake shows in Australia and New Zealand have now been officially cancelled. Despite extensive efforts to find a solution, rescheduling within the necessary timeframe was not possible,” the statement reads.
“Drake remains committed to returning and performing these shows when his schedule permits.
“All purchases for the cancelled shows will receive a refund. Please check your email for information regarding the refund process.”
Despite the “scheduling conflict”, just days after the postponed concerts, Drake was spotted front row at WWE’s Elimination Chamber premium live event in his hometown of Toronto with fellow rapper Lil Yachty.
His visit to Australia just so happened to line up with Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, which doubled as a victory lap in their one-sided feud. Kendrick hit the stage rocking a diamond chain with a lowercase “a” (as in “A minor”) and dropped his Drake-destroying anthem “Not Like Us” in front of 100 million people.
While he was in the country, Drake played a surprise 90-minute set at a Bourke St hotspot, packed with unreleased music and deep cuts for just 100 lucky fans. He also hit up a private crew dinner, then rolled into Maison Batard’s Le Club, Melbourne’s hottest new venue, for a phone-free, all-expenses-paid, ultra-exclusive party—a fever dream for any rap fan.