Tyler, the Creator has unexpectedly withdrawn from his headlining slots at this year’s Lollapalooza and Outside Lands music festivals.
In a heartfelt message on X, formerly known as Twitter, Tyler expressed his regret, stating, “I hate saying this but I have to cancel Lollapalooza and Outside Lands. I made a commitment that I can no longer keep, and that bums me out knowing how excited folks were. That is not sexy at all. Please please forgive me or call me names when you see me in person. Love.”
Lollapalooza organizers swiftly announced that Megan Thee Stallion would replace Tyler as the headliner. Similarly, Outside Lands revealed that Sabrina Carpenter would take over his slot. Both festivals made these announcements on X.
Tyler did not provide a specific reason for his cancellations, leaving fans speculating. He was initially set to co-headline the first night of Lollapalooza in Chicago with Hozier and was listed atop the lineup for Outside Lands in San Francisco, alongside The Killers, Sturgill Simpson, and The Postal Service.
Lollapalooza is scheduled to take place from August 1-4 at Chicago’s Grant Park, while Outside Lands will follow a week later, from August 9-11, at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
Tyler, the Creator last headlined both festivals in 2021, promoting his album “Call Me if You Get Lost.” In April, he headlined Coachella shortly after releasing the expanded version of the album, “Call Me if You Get Lost: The Estate Sale.” His Coachella performance featured guest appearances by Childish Gambino, A$AP Rocky, Charlie Wilson, and Kali Uchis.
Variety’s Steven J. Horowitz praised Tyler’s Coachella set, noting his ability to control the stage and keep the audience’s energy high throughout the performance. “Tyler is a master conceptualizer, and knows how to toy with the various frequencies of his stage, dimming the lights for reflective moments and dancing around shooting flames during more electrified songs,” Horowitz wrote.
The sudden change in headliners has left fans with mixed feelings. Some expressed disappointment, while others welcomed the new additions. “This is not an equal trade,” one Facebook user commented, while another on Instagram wrote, “Lineup just got better.”
Megan Thee Stallion, fresh off her Hot Girl Summer Tour, will now headline Lollapalooza on August 1. Sabrina Carpenter, who recently announced her Short n’ Sweet Tour, will take the stage at Outside Lands on August 10. Carpenter’s tour will hit over two dozen North American cities this fall, starting on September 23 in Columbus, OH, and ending on November 15 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Lollapalooza, celebrating its 20th anniversary in Chicago, has a rich history since its inception in the city in 2005. The festival will continue to be held in Chicago for at least another decade, following a recent 10-year contract extension. The contract stipulates that the maximum number of attendees at any time cannot exceed 115,000.
In 2023, Lollapalooza featured around 40 performers each day, including headliners like Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This year’s lineup, announced in March, included SZA, Blink-182, The Killers, Future X, Metro Boomin, Hozier, Stray Kids, Melanie Martinez, and Skrillex.
The festival’s organizers have yet to respond to requests for comment regarding Tyler’s cancellation. As the festival dates approach, fans are eagerly anticipating the performances of the new headliners, Megan Thee Stallion and Sabrina Carpenter.
