NEW DELHI: After months of uncertainty, expensive travel bookings and repeated postponements, the much-anticipated India concert of Kanye West, an American rapper and songwriter popularly known as Ye has been cancelled yet again, leaving fans disappointed.
Organisers of Ye Live in India White Fox India, announced on Friday that the concert, scheduled to take place on May 23 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, had been called off citing “security advisories amid high-alert situation in the capital”.
The statement released jointly by the organisers and the stadium, said that they were “deeply disheartened” by the decision.
“After months of planning and preparation for what was set to become one of the largest live productions ever attempted in India, the safety and well-being of attendees and the citizens of India remains the highest priority,” it read.
The organisers added that all ticket holders who booked through District by Zomato would receive full refunds within seven days. They also said discussions were underway with the artist’s team to secure a new date and venue in the future.
A fan, who planned to travel to Delhi for the show, described the cancellation as financially devastating. “Ye is my favourite artist, and I spent almost a month’s salary on the event,” he said.
“The concert got postponed, and my flight cancellation charges alone were Rs 8,000 on a Rs 13,000 ticket. I booked flights again for the new date, and now less than eight days ahead of the concert, they’ve cancelled it. So I have paid for the air trips twice for nothing.”
Tickets for the event reportedly started at around Rs 7,000 and went significantly higher for premium sections, making it one of the costliest international music events hosted in India this year.
Vivek, another attendee who was supposed to fly from Kolkata, said the organisers needed to better understand the Indian concert market. “Such high prices don’t work for regular seats. A lot of us also have to spend on flights and hotels. Hopefully, if the concert is rescheduled, it becomes more accessible,” he added.
A nineteen-year-old fan Kabeer Narang called the recent cancellation disappointing but unsurprising. “It seems quite on-brand with Kanye’s personality. I’m just glad my money will be refunded.”
