Key Points
Katy Perry was forced to cancel her performance at Belgium’s Werchter Boutique festival.
The performance would have marked Perry’s first return to the festival since 2009.
Perry said the decision was out of her hands amid the historic heat wave currently sweeping through Europe.
Katy Perry was ready to roar at Belgium’s Werchter Boutique festival, but she’ll have to bite her tongue for another day.
Hours before the popstar was due to take the stage at Festivalpark Werchter on Saturday, the show was canceled amid the historic heat wave sweeping across Europe.
“Sadly my set @WerchterBoutique tonight can’t happen due to a government mandated cancellation because of the incoming inclement weather and crowd safety concerns,” Perry told fans in an Instagram post, explaining that the decision was entirely out of her hands. “I was backstage at the show in the middle of hair and makeup when this news was delivered, and they gave me no choice.
She added, “I am just as unhappy as you are. Unfortunately this is beyond my control, but the safety of all 55,000 of you always comes first and foremost.”
Katy Perry visits Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2025
Credit: Dave Benett/Getty
Perry concluded her post by writing, “I am sorry I can’t change the weather, and even sorrier that all of us can’t be together tonight. I was looking forward to being back after 17 years, I was even gonna wear the same outfit from that 2009 show again. I love you all, and please get home safe.”
The statement was accompanied by a photo of Perry sitting outside of the venue, wearing a robe and smoking a cigarette with her outfit on a hanger beside her.
Temperatures hit highs of 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit) in Belgium over the weekend, as Europe weathered an unprecedented early summer heat wave. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Sunday that since June 21, more than 1,300 excess deaths have been linked to the unusually high temperatures.
“Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating at twice the global average. Right now 150 million people are living under extreme heat, hundreds have died, schools are shut, grids are buckling,” WHO chief Ghebreyesus wrote on X. “Heat stress is often called the ‘silent killer’ – and European homes, workplaces and schools were not built for these temperatures.”
Katy Perry in 2025
Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty
Also on her Instagram page, Perry shared a statement from the festival itself, announcing that her set was canceled and the festivities would end early, after Pitbull’s performance.
“This decision was taken in response to the weather forecast, which predicts severe thunderstorms from midnight onwards at the earliest. The governor of Flemish Brabant has also issued a be-alert in this regard,” the statement read. “By bringing the festival to a close early, we can ensure that the exit of visitors will proceed in a safe and orderly manner, allowing everyone to return home calmly. The safety and health of everyone present is always our top priority.”
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Perry was set to headline the weekend festival, with other performers including Mika, Pommelien Thijs, James Arthur, Roxy Dekker, and Emmy d’Arc.
The cancellation came just days after Perry released her latest single “Watch It Burn” on Thursday, June 25. The singer is next due to perform at Cardiff Castle in Wales on June 30.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly