It’s about time, right? The highly-anticipated Made in America music festival organized by Jay-Z, featuring headliners Lizzo and SZA, has unfortunately been called off. The reason? “Severe circumstances outside of production control,” according to the organizers. In a statement shared on social media, they expressed the difficulty of the decision and their commitment to delivering exceptional experiences for the festival-goers. They also mentioned that refunds will be provided to all ticket holders. No additional information was given regarding the cancellation. Made in America is known for its remarkable festival experience, and they are already looking forward to returning to Philadelphia in 2024 on Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
It’s worth noting that this cancellation comes at a challenging time for Lizzo. The festival would have marked her first major performance since facing allegations of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment from three of her former backup dancers. Lizzo strongly denies these allegations. In addition, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison claimed to have quit Lizzo’s documentary, citing disrespectful treatment. Allison also expressed her views on Lizzo, referring to her as a “narcissistic bully” who has built her brand on dishonesty. On top of these issues, Beyoncé seemingly skipped mentioning Lizzo during a performance of her “Break My Soul” remix, which pays homage to iconic female musicians, at a recent concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Made in America was launched by Jay-Z in 2012, and he co-headlined the first-ever festival with Pearl Jam. Over the years, renowned artists like Beyoncé, The Weeknd, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and Kendrick Lamar have graced its stages as headliners. This year’s lineup included Bad Bunny, Tyler the Creator, Ice Spice, Miguel, Metro Boomin, and more. Although the festival won’t be happening, fans can still catch SZA’s performance in Philadelphia at Wells Fargo Center on September 26, just three weeks after the original festival date.
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