ZM's Bree and Clint catch up with Lorde about her new single "Solar Power". Video / ZM
Lorde has apologised for letting her fans down after postponing her New Zealand and Australian tour dates.
The singer was set to kick off her Solar Power world tour down under in February and March next year, but yesterday the news broke that the live shows would not go ahead until 2023.
In an email to her fans, Lorde addressed the reasons why she had to cancel the shows and expressed her guilt about disappointing ticketholders.
Organisers said yesterday 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.
She wrote: "No words can tell you how gutted I am by this. The reality of a developing Covid management system in both countries just means there's too much uncertainty for the promoters to feel confident we wouldn't be at risk of last-minute show cancellations due to possible lockdowns."
She says she hoped the restrictions would be "stable and workable" by February next year, but said the "pressure was on" to make a decision that would work for her crew. Lorde's touring band and crew are not citizens of either Australia or New Zealand, and would require travel exemptions and quarantine.
"I am absolutely devastated to let you down," she added.
"I feel physically ill typing this. I wanted so badly to be the light at the end of this lockdown hell tunnel for you guys."
Lorde addressed speculation she was pregnant after writing a post to celebrate her 25th birthday.
"One quarter century. No longer a wunderkind. Two fine lines on my forehead. No eyebrows would raise if I got pregnant," she shared on Instagram, and added "I saw a description of motherhood and other transformative chapters."
Lorde has elaborated on why she postponed her summer tour dates. Photo / Getty Images
However, Lorde quashed she was making subtle hints that she was expecting a child.
"This is not me being a flake, this is not me being pregnant (you dweebs it was a EUPHEMISM I'M NOT PREGNANT HAHA), this is me and the whole team who planned this tour being no match for a really complex public health situation."
Postponing the tour has allowed Lorde to add additional shows on her Australian and NZ tour legs, including a second show in Wellington.
She also announced she will be joined on the US tour by Remi Wolf and the "magnificent" Marlon Williams will be her support act for her UK dates.
"Marlon is basically God's gift to ears and also a really great hang and super funny," she wrote about the fellow Aotearoa musician.
She says she is actively searching for a musician for her 2023 Australia and NZ dates, and encouraged fans to email her with suggestions.
Tickets for the original performances remain valid and tickets for the new shows will be available from November 19.
