Little Simz Cancels North American Tour, Citing Financial Deficit and “Mental Stress”

Last fall, Little Simz released one of 2021’s best albums, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert—but even an artist of her stature isn’t immune to the pitfalls of the music industry. Tuesday afternoon, the London-based musician announced via social media that she has canceled her North American tour, which had been set to kick off on May 1.

“I take my live shows seriously and would only want to give you guys nothing but the best of me,” she explains in her announcement. “Being an independent artist, I pay for everything encompassing my live performances out of my own pocket and touring the US for a month would leave me in a huge deficit.”

“As much as this pains me to not see you at this time, I’m just not able to put myself through that mental stress,” she continues. “It’s important for me to speak my truth about this and be honest.“

“For now I’m creating and working on art that I’m so excited about. Music of course but other things too; all levelling to greater heights,” she teased in conclusion. “A message to all artists and creatives, know your worth and stick to your guns.“

Simz’s tour had been scheduled to start in Portland, Oregon, on May 1, hitting Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., before concluding with a May 25 show at New York City’s Webster Hall.

As disappointing as this news may be, Simz’s transparency on the matter is very important, indeed—many casual music fans fail to realize how fraught the financial realities of making it as an indie musician truly are.

See Simz’s full statement below, and her canceled North American tour dates further down.

Hey guys, due to unforeseen circumstances I’ve been left with no option but to reschedule my US tour. I take my live shows seriously and would only want to give you guys nothing but the best of me. Being an independent artist, I pay for everything encompassing my live performances out of my own pocket and touring the US for a month would leave me in a huge deficit.

As much as this pains me to not see you at this time, I’m just not able to put myself through that mental stress. It’s important for me to speak my truth about this and be honest. I appreciate the love and excitement you guys have for seeing me live. Rest assured I will be there soon, back bigger and better.

For now I’m creating and working on art that I’m so excited about. Music of course but other things too; all levelling to greater heights. A message to all artists and creatives, know your worth and stick to your guns. Love you all. Simz xx

Little Simz Canceled Tour Dates:

May
01 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
02 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
05 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
11 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theater
15 – Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s
17 – Toronto, ON @ The Axis Club
19 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
21 – Philadelphia, PA @ Foundry
23 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage
25 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall