Drake Postpones Remaining Dates of Australia and New Zealand Tour

Drake has called off the remaining dates of his current tour of Australia and New Zealand.

News of the postponement comes just hours after the OVO rapper wrapped up a performance in Brisbane, which itself took place alongside swirling rumors of an impending premature end to the trek.

On the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 26 (Australian time), it was confirmed that Drake has indeed axed the remaining dates of his tour Down Under.

“All tickets for the affected shows will remain valid for the new dates,” the statement continued. “Refunds will be available for those who prefer, but please note that as these shows are sold out, any refunded tickets will be released for sale.

“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience. Drake and the entire team have had an incredible time doing these shows and are excited to return soon. We look forward to sharing the rescheduled dates with you as soon as possible.”

Drake’s Australian tour launched on Feb. 4 with two nights in Perth, and was followed by four shows each in Melbourne and Sydney, and an additional two dates in Brisbane. Further shows in Sydney and Brisbane were planned for next week, with an already-postponed pair of dates in Auckland, New Zealand scheduled for mid-March. The tour was Drake’s first visit to both Australia and New Zealand since 2017.

The run of dates has also been making headlines thanks to the 6 God’s generosity towards fans during his concerts. He previously handed out $20,000 to a pair of fans in Perth, gave $45,000 to some OVO faithful in Melbourne and upgraded a pregnant fan to VIP in Sydney and blessed her with $30,000 ahead of her baby’s arrival. Most recently, he promised to look after the cancer treatment of a fan’s mother while in Brisbane.

The Anita Max Win Tour is named after a viral moment from Drake’s December 2023 livestream on Kick, where he introduced a new “alter ego” named Anita Max Win. The name is a playful pun on the gambling phrase “I need a max win,” referring to hitting the maximum payout on a slot machine.

This article was first published by Billboard U.S.