logo
Usher cancels Australian tour just weeks after tickets went on sale

Usher cancels Australian tour just weeks after tickets went on sale

Courier-Mail7 hours ago
Don't miss out on the headlines from Music Tours. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Usher has abruptly cancelled his Australian tour just weeks after tickets went on sale.
The US hip-hop star, 46, was set to bring his Past, Present, Future tour to Sydney and Melbourne from November this year, with tour promoter Live Nation confirming the 12 shows will no longer be going ahead.
'We regret to advise USHER's Australian tour, scheduled to take place in November/ December, will no longer be proceeding,' a spokesperson said.
'All ticket holders will receive an automatic refund. For any further refund enquires please contact your point of purchase.'
The Live Nation website has since removed Usher's Australian tour page from its website, with users presented with a '404' error message.
Usher has cancelled his Australian tour. Picture:Ticket-holders also received an email from Ticketek on Friday saying the promoter had pulled the pin on the tour, with no reason given as to why.
'The promoter of USHER's Australian Tour regrets to advise that the scheduled shows to take place in November/ December, will no longer be proceeding,' the email read.
'All tickets purchased (including refundable ticket purchases, if relevant) will be automatically refunded in full to the original payment method used. Customers do not need to take any action.
'Customers who purchased tickets at a Ticketek Agency or using Ticketek Gift Vouchers, have been contacted to the email address of their Ticketek account to request additional information so we can process your refund.'
A spokesperson added it would take up to 30 business days for refunds to process.
That same statement is also on the Usher landing page on Ticketek's website.
It's important to note Ticketek is only responsible for the sale of tickets.
Usher's tour was a long time coming for fans of the artist, who last hosted a headline tour in Australia in 2011.
While it's unclear if tickets were selling well, it seemed as though pre-sale tickets were in demand, with Usher's team adding several more concert dates.
Usher was set to perform 12 shows in Sydney and Melbourne. Picture:for Live Nation
The eight-time Grammy winner was primed to play six concerts at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena, and a further six at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena.
Usher is yet to address the cancellation on social media.
Fans flooded TikTok after receiving the email, with one user claiming she 'wasn't surprised' by the cancellation.
'They were so overzealous with the amount of shows they were doing, the prices, they really were not selling,' TikTok user Jacinda Chenelle said.
Supporters were disheartened when tickets went on sale, with many shocked to realise how expensive seats were.
The OMG singer's 'Ultimate Meet and Greet VIP Lounge Experience' was marketed at a whopping $2792.85, while premium reserve seating was priced at $530.05.
Other ticket prices included more affordable seating at around $220.
Originally published as Fans devastated as Usher cancels Australian tour just weeks after tickets went on sale
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

OnlyFans Annie Knight: Is having sex with 583 men in six hours a public service or a dangerous dopamine trap?
OnlyFans Annie Knight: Is having sex with 583 men in six hours a public service or a dangerous dopamine trap?

7NEWS

timean hour ago

  • 7NEWS

OnlyFans Annie Knight: Is having sex with 583 men in six hours a public service or a dangerous dopamine trap?

OnlyFans stars are banking more in a week than most Aussies earn each year from performing extreme sexual acts, which they say simultaneously fulfils their wildest 'fantasies'. But experts have revealed the 'alarming race' to become young OnlyFans millionaires by performing increasingly shocking sex stunts for subscribers can have long-term consequences. Even super-successful Australian social media star Annie Knight recently had to 'up the ante' in order to cut through the saturated adult content market. Last month, she slept with 583 men in six hours to make content for her OnlyFans audience. Ms Knight told The Nightly that when she decided to host the Gold Coast gang-bang, she expected about 200 men to show up. Instead, almost 600 Aussie blokes — wearing joggers and gym clothes — lined up around the block for just 30 seconds of intimacy with the glamorous porn star. The tightly-orchestrated event, which a 'grateful' Ms Knight described as 'the best day of my life', tripled her income, which skyrocketed to more than $7 million a year. 'It was such an amazing experience. I had a lot of fun,' she said. 'It was definitely sexually arousing and satisfying. Obviously not every guy made me finish, but six guys did, which I think is pretty good considering they didn't have much time. 'It was my biggest fantasy but also great publicity and marketing. It really was a win win win.' Ms Knight calls these challenges, and her OnlyFans career, 'empowering'. 'I'm doing what I want to do with my body. I choose to do this. I'm going to earn money from it. I'm not being forced into it. I enjoy what I'm doing,' she said. 'It's been a lot of fun stepping into my sexuality and living out all these fantasies. It's my body and my choice, and I'm doing what I love. 'It makes me feel really special that so many people would show up to have an experience with me.' Ms Knight's rage-bait event followed similar stunts by other famous OnlyFans stars. In January, British porn star Bonnie Blue broke a world record when she slept with 1057 men in 12 hours. Last year, Lily Phillips, 23, filmed her 'fantasy' of having sex with 101 men in one day. These women represent a new breed of sex workers achieving fame and financial freedom by selling sexually explicit videos of themselves through OnlyFans. But experts have raised the alarm about the impacts these increasingly extreme challenges have on the performers, young women's perceptions of sex work and men's brains. Relationship counsellor Amanda Lambros said the 'sensational stunts', aimed at maximising attention and profit, are problematic 'in many ways'. 'While they're undeniably headline-grabbing, they also reflect an alarming race to the bottom in pursuit of virality and income,' she said. 'These challenges . . . commodify intimacy, often in ways that desensitise viewers and reduce human connection to a spectacle. 'It also distorts ideas around consent, boundaries and relational sex. 'When women's bodies become battlegrounds for attention economies, we're treading in dehumanising waters.' Ms Lambros — a therapist, author and academic — said these sex challenges formed part of a rapidly shifting sexual landscape in which ever-increasingly extreme sexual acts created an unsustainable 'dopamine trap'. 'What was once shocking becomes standard and creators are forced to escalate in order to stay relevant,' she said. 'That cycle is mentally and physically exhausting, and rarely sustainable. 'It also distorts reality in a major way. When men consume these stunts without context, they may develop unrealistic expectations of women's sexual availability, stamina, and enthusiasm.' And the medical, physical and psychological risks are real. 'Physically, repetitive or extreme sexual activity can lead to injury, infections, and trauma,' the popular PerthNow columnist said. 'Psychologically, the constant need to escalate for attention can feed anxiety, burnout, body dysmorphia, or dissociation. 'Not to mention the pressure of maintaining a hypersexual persona 24/7.' Ms Knight said she was conscious of, and tried to mitigate, the risks. 'If I was filming with 583 porn stars, I would say, yes, there's a large risk involved,' she said. 'But these guys weren't porn stars, so they didn't have huge dicks. 'The only time I really haven't made the guys get an STI test was for the challenge, but they all used condoms, of course. 'Thankfully I've been tested twice since then and everything's all good.' The Gold Coast sex worker also insists that her content is 'educational' and emphasises respect and consent. Ms Lambros said that despite this, the 'Instagram-ification of sex work' was filtered, lucrative-looking, and potentially misleading. 'It promises fast money, autonomy, and fame . . . but without showing the full cost,' she said. 'The top earners present a curated highlight reel. 'What's rarely shown is the emotional toll, safety risks, platform instability, or long-term financial planning.' Psychologist Shannon Webb, from The Banyans Healthcare in Brisbane, said the nature of these sex challenges means the women portrayed are often dehumanised by their viewers. 'Intimacy and sex are complex experiences, and pornography, particularly to this extreme, can desensitise people to what sex and intimacy means for them,' she said. 'As viewers become desensitised over time, there is demand for more extreme styles of porn content (putting) pressure on content creators … to do extreme acts they wouldn't ordinarily entertain.' Ms Webb, who treats clients with porn addiction at the luxury rehab clinic, said that in addition to the intensity of these challenges, OnlyFans creators were exposing themselves to the para-social relationships and the perceived intimacy their subscribers expect from them. 'OnlyFans not only makes pornography easily accessible but creates a personalised experience between creators and viewers, which can exist healthily but can easily be abused, resulting in unhealthy dependence and addiction,' she said. 'OnlyFans also promotes 'live' content viewing, which can encourage a greater sense of perceived intimacy, with followers believing they share a personal connection with their content creators.' Ms Knight admits subscribers expect constant attention and interaction. 'It's like a friendship as we do talk every day,' she said. 'I look at it more as if I'm providing them with company. 'A lot of these people work really high-powered jobs and don't have a lot of time to date, so I'm just kind of giving them that company and girlfriend experience.' Due to her fans' dependence, she cannot afford to disconnect. 'At the end of the day, a lot of the subs want to chat to you . . . and if you don't respond, they can often get quite offended, feel that you've ghosted them or ask 'what am I paying for?'' she said. 'So I think people will unsubscribe (if I take a break) and you're just not making as much money from doing video calls, sexting sessions and stuff like that.' The 28-year-old insists her success is 'definitely worth' the sacrifices but 'is not the easy way out'. 'You have to work really hard,' she said. 'I think you've just got to be 100 per cent sure that you want to do it (long-term) and that it's going to be worth it in the end.' Jenna Love, president of Scarlet Alliance, said the Australian Sex Workers Association supports 'sex workers to be able to work in whatever way best suits them' but cautions that most OnlyFans creators cannot survive on that income alone. 'Most OnlyFans content creators earn well under the poverty line,' she said. 'There are a number of big tech companies involved, taking a cut from OnlyFans creators, but the ability to have that level of flexibility and control over your own work is broadly a positive thing.' As for sex challenges, Ms Love rejects the outrage. 'I think most people are switched on enough to know that it's just a stunt and that is not the standard and not what's expected (from women),' she said. Ms Love said she hosted a 30-man gang bang for her 30th birthday which was work-related but also for her own pleasure. 'It was a bit of a stunt, but it was also something I really wanted to do. Sexually, that really appealed to me,' she said. 'I think what's missing from a lot of that conversation is that some people are into that, and that's OK.' For Ms Knight, there is no turning back, and she is now contemplating 'what to do next'. 'I would like to do, not necessarily a numbers challenge, but maybe a different angle, like single dads or virgins,' she said. 'Giving them the opportunity (to be with me) would be cool.' That almost makes it sound like a form of public service. 'Yes, that's exactly how I see it,' she quipped.

Nostalgic reason Aussies are heading to Japan
Nostalgic reason Aussies are heading to Japan

Courier-Mail

time4 hours ago

  • Courier-Mail

Nostalgic reason Aussies are heading to Japan

Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. If you haven't been to Japan this year, chances are you know someone who has. According to the Japan National Tourism Organisation, the first few months of 2025 saw 429,000 Australian arrivals in Japan - a 28.6% increase from the same period in 2024. And, there are plenty of reasons for this. Japan has delicious food, a unique blend of modern and traditional experiences, and a great exchange rate. But, it turns out there's one more nostalgic aspect drawing Aussies there - and honestly, it might convince me. Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. Image: TikTok / @maybemackenzie RELATED: Aussies sick of frustrating act targeting bushland 'They have the cheese toast!' Aussie TikTok creator @maybemackenzie shared his experience this week heading to a Sizzler in Japan. 'When I saw there was a Sizzler in Japan, I thought, I have to go in,' he said. 'And, they have the cheese toast!' An absolute Aussie icon - despite first opening in the US back in 1958 - Sizzler was open Down Under from 1985 until November 2020, when it was unfortunately a victim of the pandemic. 'I'm pretty sure every Australian has been to Sizzler, and I really miss it,' he said. A Sizzler restaurant in Brookside, QLD before its closure in 2017. Image: Josh Woning. 'I think I need to go to Japan now' Aussies in the comments were shocked to see a Sizzler in Japan. 'I'm beyond jealous, you win at life,' said one person. 'THE CHEESE TOAST,' another said. 'I miss Sizzler so much,' said a third (and don't we all). 'MY CHILDHOOD,' another commenter said. Others said they hoped they'd be able to incorporate it into their own Japan trips. 'Excuse me sir WHERE IS THIS - research purposes obvi,' one person said. 'I think I need to go to Japan now,' said another. 'That's it, I'm going to Japan for Sizzler,' another person said. They're everywhere! In (kinda) good news for Aussies, it's not just in Japan that you can find a Sizzler. Once upon a time, you could find Sizzlers in Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore, and China - in addition to Australia. However, all of these have now closed. Now, there remain locations in Japan, Thailand, and across the United States. Originally published as Nostalgic reason Aussies are heading to Japan

Sarah Jessica Parker is not 'overly eager' to become an empty nester
Sarah Jessica Parker is not 'overly eager' to become an empty nester

Perth Now

time5 hours ago

  • Perth Now

Sarah Jessica Parker is not 'overly eager' to become an empty nester

Sarah Jessica Parker is not "overly eager" to become a so-called empty nester. The 60-year-old actress has James, 22, and 16-year-old twins Tabitha and Marion with husband Matthew Broderick, and Sarah acknowledges that her life will change in dramatic fashion once all of her kids leave home. During an upcoming appearance on The Best People with Nicolle Wallace - a clip of which has been shared with E! News - the actress explains: "The idea of leisure is pretty amazing to think about. "But I'm not overly eager for it, because I don't want it until I know that my children are pursuing their next stage of life in their academic careers. When they go to college, I can think about travelling in September." Sarah already has a number of projects in the works, and she doesn't have any intention of slowing down in her professional life. She said: "You don't imagine days where you're like, 'Hmm, what should I do today?' Because that's just not been - no fault but my own - the way I've functioned." Despite this, Sarah is planning to travel more when her twins do leave home. Asked how she might spend her free time, Sarah replied: "Probably travel more. There are times that other countries are at their best, and right now with my children in school, I can't go where I would wanna go." Meanwhile, Sarah previously revealed that she wants her children to be able to "take care of themselves" financially. The Hollywood star told The E! News Sitdown: "I really want my children to be educated in the ways that are fulfilling to them. "I don't think that there is one way to be an educated person or to be equipped to be an adult and try to fashion a life for yourself after what would be considered 'finishing college' - let's say 22 years old. "You want for them to be pursuing things that are exciting and challenging and hard and gratifying and to be able to ultimately take care of themselves, support themselves - emotionally, financially, and that they can be in the world and be a reliable person to themselves and to other people. And so we talk about work like that."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store