Charli XCX finds touring “emotionally and physically hard”.
The 34-year-old singer recently announced details of the UK and European leg of her Music, Fashion, Film tour but has faced criticism because she will only be playing six arena shows in Dublin, Glasgow, Manchester, London, Amsterdam and Paris during the 2027 run. She’s now responded to the backlash to acknowledge the “frustration” and disappointment from fans but insisted she isn’t capable of making the run any longer.
She wrote on Instagram: “I know there’s a lot of frustration in the comments about the fact that I am not doing lots of dates. I am really sorry if you feel disappointed but I have to honor my truth as an artist: touring is really emotionally and physically hard for me.
“I am not looking for sympathy and I have a huge amount of respect for artists who can handle it at an intense, lengthy and high octane level, but I am just not one of those human beings and I never have been.”
The 365 hitmaker – who noted that she’d opted for a shorter run during her current North American tour for the same reasons – promised to do her best to enjoy the shows.
She added: “I’m sorry if you feel I am letting you down; I really am. Perhaps one day I will be built for the kind of touring you expect from me but right now I am not.
“If you’re coming to a show I hope you have fun and enjoy it, and I will try my best to stay in a healthy and positive mindset and enjoy it too.”
In June, Charli admitted she had been struggling with her mental health and had been trying to take a step back from social media because she found the attention overwhelming.
She told Rolling Stone: “The discourse is loud, and sometimes that can be very overwhelming.
“I have actually been a lot more offline. I don’t really look as much anymore. It’s just better for my brain.
“I know people probably won’t believe me, because I am inherently, at least in the past, a very online artist.
“But I recently have been really struggling with my mental health to the point where, if I’m being real, I’m in the worst place mentally that I’ve been in my life.”