Politixia
Kehlani’s world tour hit an unexpected pause this week after the R&B singer was hospitalized with a sudden health issue.
The Grammy-winning singer has rescheduled two East Coast concerts after being hospitalized earlier this week with severe pain and difficulty swallowing. The Camden, New Jersey, show, originally scheduled for Aug. 26, will now take place Sept. 5. A Columbia, Maryland, concert set for Aug. 27 has been moved to Sept. 6.
Kehlani shared the news with fans on social media Wednesday, explaining that the symptoms appeared quickly despite feeling fine during two days off from performing.
“After two off days feeling completely normal,” Kehlani wrote, adding that they had been awake through the night “unable to swallow” and in significant pain.
After leaving the hospital, the “Folded” singer said doctors had not cleared them to sing for the next two performances.
“I’m so sorry Camden & DC,” Kehlani continued. “My team is working on a solution.”
The singer also acknowledged how difficult it was to miss a show while trying to maintain their health during an already demanding tour schedule.
“Breaks my heart to have to ever do this,” they wrote.
Kehlani has not publicly disclosed a diagnosis or further details about what caused the sudden illness.
Fortunately for fans, the shows have not been scrapped altogether.
On Thursday, Kehlani announced that the Camden concert has been rescheduled for Sept. 5, while the Columbia show will now take place Sept. 6. The singer also had to clear up some confusion after Ticketmaster briefly displayed information suggesting the concerts had been moved to 2028. Kehlani told fans that the year was simply a typo and pointed them toward the dates listed on their official announcement.
The health scare comes just days after Kehlani spoke publicly about the level of discipline required to protect their wellness while navigating life as a working musician.
As theGrio previously reported, the singer recently described relying on routines that include exercise, time outdoors, prayer and other wellness practices. Kehlani also pushed for greater support for artists’ well-being within the music industry, noting how recording, touring and other demands can make basic routines difficult to maintain.
The singer’s hospitalization arrives during what has otherwise been a major year.
Kehlani won their first two Grammy Awards in February for “Folded,” taking home Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song after the track became the singer’s first top 10 hit. The success helped usher in another high-profile chapter for the Oakland native, including a BET Awards performance and a 33-date North American tour supporting their self-titled album.
Kehlani had said the tour would resume Saturday, Aug. 29, in Richmond, Virginia. Fans who attended the Richmond stop subsequently posted that the singer did, in fact, return to the stage, although an official post-show health update has not been released.
For now, Kehlani appears to be moving forward with the tour while giving the two postponed East Coast audiences another chance to see the show next week.
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