Sting has revealed it was a “temporary throat infection” that forced him to postpone a string of performances this week.
The ‘Every Breath You Take’ hitmaker was left unable to sing but reassured fans he is “steadily improving”, hours after it was announced that he had cancelled an awards show appearance and rescheduled shows “due to illness”.
The former Police frontman will no longer perform at the Bass Magazine Awards at The Observatory in Santa Ana, California on Thursday (23.01.25), and has rescheduled three concerts with his new trio STING 3.0 – completed by guitarist Dominic Miller and drummer Chris Maas – in Phoenix, Arizona on January 24 and Wheatland, California on January 26.
The Phoenix gig will now take place on June 1 and the Wheatland show on May 28.
Sting was also due to perform at the Cherrytree Music Company’s 20th anniversary bash on January 25 at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles alongside fellow label mates – including Shaggy, Mike Einziger, Chance Emerson and Sophie Grey – but the event will now take place on May 29.
In an update posted to Instagram on Wednesday evening (22.01.25), he said: “Thats so much for all the well wishes. I am steadily improving from a temporary throat infection which has prevented me from singing, though I’m looking forward to resuming my performances and rescheduled shows soon.”
Sting cancelled the concerts on doctor’s advice.
The original statement posted to his Instagram page read: “On advisement from his doctor, due to illness, it is with sincere regret that Sting must cancel his appearance at the Bass Magazine Awards this Thursday and postpone his STING 3.0 concerts in Phoenix, AZ (originally scheduled for January 24) to June 1 and Wheatland, CA (originally scheduled for January 26) to May 28 as well as his performance at the Cherrytree Music Company’s 20th anniversary, now taking place May 29.
“Fans should retain their tickets for the postponed shows, as they will be honoured on the new dates.
“Sting sincerely apologises for any inconvenience and extends his gratitude to the fans for their understanding.”
Sting was recently confirmed to be performing at the FireAid benefit concert to raise funds for the Los Angeles wildfires relief efforts on January 30.
Other artists to have signed up for the show include Joni Mitchell, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Earth, Wind and Fire, Gracie Abrams, Green Day, Gwen Stefani, Jelly Roll, Pink and Rod Stewart as well as Dave Matthews and John Mayer, who will be performing together.
The concert has been described as an “evening of music and solidarity” to raise vital funds to help communities devastated by the fires.
It will be broadcast and streamed on services including Apple Music and Apple TV, iHeartRadio,Netflix/Tudom, Paramount+, Prime Video, SiriusXM, YouTube and more as well as being shown at a number of cinemas across the US.