The Weeknd has postponed an upcoming concert, as well as the release of his latest album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, amid the ongoing wildfires that have devastated the greater Los Angeles Area.
“Out of respect and concern for the people of Los Angeles county, the Rose Bowl show has been cancelled and the album date has been postponed to [January 31, 2025],” the Canadian singer-songwriter, 34, wrote in a statement shared via Instagram on Monday, January 13.
The concert was originally scheduled for Saturday, January 25, at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California.
“This city has always been a profound source of inspiration for me, and my thoughts are with everyone impacted during this difficult time,” The Weeknd (real name Abel Makkonen Tesfaye) continued in his statement. “In light of this, I have also decided to push the release of my album to January 31.”
Oscar Nominations Postponed Again Amid L.A. Wildfires
He concluded, “My focus remains on supporting the recovery of these communities and aiding its incredible people as they rebuild.”
Wildfires began raging through Los Angeles the morning of January 7 when high winds caused brush fires to spread quickly through the Pacific Palisades and surrounding neighborhoods. The fires have destroyed more than 12,000 structures, and placed over 150,000 people under mandatory evacuation orders. According to local authorities, the death toll has reached at least 25 people and is expected to increase as search and rescue efforts continue.
Several industry events in California have been postponed due to the wildfires, including the Critics Choice Awards, which was originally slated to take place on Sunday, January 12, but has since been pushed to Sunday, January 26.
Premieres for movies like Unstoppable (starring Jennifer Lopez), Wolf Man, The Pitt, The Last Showgirl and A Complete Unknown have also been canceled. The Academy, meanwhile, pushed its announcement of Oscar nominations back to Thursday, January 23, in light of the fires.
‘NCIS,’ ‘Suits LA’ to Resume Filming After Wildfires Delayed Production
Shortly after the fires began, nonprofit organization Film LA shared a production alert on January 8 noting that “the L.A. County Fire Department has specifically instructed that all permits issued for filming in the communities of Altadena, La Crescenta, La Canada/Flintridge and Unincorporated Pasadena are withdrawn.”
“The past two days have brought unprecedented risk to life and property from multiple area wildfires, while also placing extreme demands on public safety personnel,” the alert continued. “With deepest appreciation for the efforts of local firefighters, police and paramedics at this difficult time, we advise the production community that personnel resources ordinarily available to support film production may not be available during the local State of Emergency.”
Check the LAFD website for local wildfire alerts and click here for resources on how to help those affected.
