Lorde postpones Solar Power tour of Australia and New Zealand until 2023
Lorde fans were thrilled when she announced a tour of Aotearoa and Australia next year after the release of her latest album Solar Power - but now they'll have to wait until 2023 to see her perform.
Originally set to kick off in February next year, the tour dates have been shifted to February and March 2023.
Organisers said the postponement was due to "continuing uncertainty" around the current Delta outbreak of Covid-19 in New Zealand, as well as the unknown start date of the traffic light system.
"We have been faced with the difficult decision to move the tour to February-March 2023 so we can proceed with some surety and fully deliver the shows without risk of last-minute lockdowns," they said.
It comes as the majority of Lorde's touring band and crew are not citizens of either Australia or New Zealand, and would require travel exemptions and quarantine.
Lorde said she was "beyond devastated" to have to postpone the shows.
"Starting the tour in New Zealand was always really important to me, and would have been a huge high," she said.
"I fought this decision for a long time, but the truth is that touring internationally through a Covid outbreak has a tonne of unforeseen moving parts, and I'd much rather play for you when we're all confident it will go smoothly.
"I want to apologise wholeheartedly to the fans. I'm so gutted to let you down, but so grateful for your understanding. We'll rage next year."
The reschedule means new shows have been added at previously sold-out venues in Lower Hutt, Days Bay on Wednesday February 22, Riverstage in Brisbane on March 7 and Bevoir Amphitheatre in Perth on Friday March 17 in 2023.
Tickets for the original performances remain valid and tickets for the new shows will be available from November 19.
New 2023 dates for Solar Power tour
Tuesday 21 February, Days Bay, Lower Hutt
Wednesday 22 February, Days Bay, Lower Hutt
Saturday 25 February, Electric Avenue – Hagley Park, Christchurch
Monday 27 February, Neudorf Vineyards, Upper Moutere
Wednesday 1 March, Black Barn Vineyards, Havelock North
Friday 3 March, Bowl Of Brooklands, New Plymouth
Saturday 4 March, Outer Fields at Western Springs, Auckland
Tuesday 7 March, Riverstage, Brisbane, QLD
Wednesday 8 March, Riverstage, Brisbane, QLD
Friday 10 March, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, VIC
Saturday 11 March, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, VIC
Monday 13 March, Aware Super Theatre, Sydney, NSW
Tuesday 14 March, Aware Super Theatre, Sydney, NSW
Friday 17 March, Belvoir Amphitheatre, Perth, WA
Saturday 18 March, Belvoir Amphitheatre, Perth, WA