Within the same week of each other, both Doechii and Lola Young have pulled out of major UK festivals. This has left fans debating whether festival tickets are even worth the gamble anymore, as many feel like a breach of trust has been broken between artists and their audience. 

Doechii’s cancellation came suddenly when she dropped out of All Points East and Forwards Festival in a space of two days, with organisers issuing short statements apologising for the news.

What stung the most was a lack of explanation. With her Live From The Swamp North American tour looming, her press release listed all of her upcoming US dates, but did not include any of these festivals. This led many to believe that her team had already anticipated the cancellations and chosen to remain quiet until the very last moment. Perhaps her team knew for a while she wasn’t going to be there…

In the aftermath, All Points East moved quickly to slot in FKA Twigs as her replacement, while Forwards secured Nia Archives. Both replacements were fantastic additions to the festivals, but it still didn’t erase the frustration for those who bought tickets to specifically see Doechii. Fans who had been waiting to see Doechii perform live felt massively let down.

Meanwhile, Lola Young’s absence from Reading and Leeds Festival was due to “unavoidable scheduling conflicts,” although this wasn’t the most convincing statement, as she’s been on the lineup since December. How is there suddenly a scheduling clash now? It’s easy to see why some felt that their investment of money simply didn’t matter to the artist, and in the end, Reading and Leeds offered no replacement. For Young’s growing fanbase, the news felt like a real letdown.

Beyond these specific artists, there’s certainly a discussion to be had about how fans lose an element of communication and trust when their favourites cancel their shows. Even if you’re excited for a whole lineup at a festival, it still stings for those who spent months looking forward to one set in particular.

Of course, cancellations are bound to happen. Health struggles and personal issues can derail even the most concrete plans. At the same time, there’s an important difference between the artists who step back because of logistical reasons and those who withdraw as an act of protest. Recently, multiple acts pulled out of Victorious Festival in response to The Mary Wallopers being cut off after raising awareness of the ongoing genocide in Palestine during their set. In those instances, the decision was not about abandoning fans, but about standing firm in their own values. As a publication, we stand with those artists.

Yet, there’s a stark difference between an unavoidable excuse and a poorly communicated one. Fans just want honesty and a sense of acknowledgement of their disappointment. Instead, they just get the same templated "Due to unforeseen circumstances, X will no longer be performing…".

All festivals are supposed to thrive on excitement, but fanbases ultimately are the ones who take a hit when artists pull out without clear communication. Replacements definitely help patch things up, but even then, when fans get a slight sense that the artists' explanations for not showing up are too vague, their trust in them dies.