Justin Timberlake shocked audiences when he cancelled the final U.S. performance of his Forget Tomorrow world tour in Columbus, Ohio, just 12 minutes prior to when it would have happened. The news, posted on Timberlake’s Instagram account, mentioned sickness as the reason for his decision, but rumor surrounding the cancellation has created heated discourse among industry watchers and fans.
Nationwide Arena concert would have wrapped up Timberlake’s much-anticipated US and Canada tour. However, at around 7:18 p.m., just when doors would open at 7:30 p.m., Timberlake took to Instagram and posted a heartfelt announcement: “You guys, I’m heartbroken. I had to go in for soundcheck fighting flu and it bested me. It hurts me to have let you down and staff who have worked incredibly hard to deliver this show. I want to let you know, you’re going to be receiving refunds for your tickets. Love you guys.”
This is not Timberlake’s first experience facing health issues while touring. In October 2024, he had to reschedule several concerts for bronchitis and laryngitis as well as for the scheduled concert in Columbus. Also in December 2024, he cancelled a concert in Oklahoma City after he strained his back while he performed in New Orleans. The string of health issues have raised questions about if and how the 44-year-old artist can keep up with the demanding schedule of a worldwide concert tour.
Though Timberlake blamed yesterday’s sudden concert cancellation on flu, there had been report yesterday that there remained plenty of seats available for yesterday’s concert in Columbus. The report had raised speculation that financial reasons, and not illness, may have caused the concert to be cancelled. Some media and some fans questioned if there had really been no health reasons for the concert being cancelled or if there had just been some financial considerations at play.
Public sentiment varied. Several fans took to Twitter to express solidarity, making Timberlake’s health top priority. One Twitter user posted as follows: “Flew in from Calif but you know what…your health is more important. True fans know that. Love you. Get better.”
But some had taken umbrage at being informed at short notice, and asked why Timberlake had taken until he had just stepped out on stage before saying he would not be playing. One angry concert goer posted: “Sick cancellations are understandable. Canceling at 10 before opening is not.”
Those who had come in from out of state or had checked in at motels felt frustrated at being financially and logistically inconvenienced. Most had already had to sit out the October postponement and felt annoyed at being postponed once again without being offered a rescheduling option in this situation.
Timberlake had promised attendees a full refund, and Ticketmaster had promised compensation for buyers. Still, for some, this would be insufficient to cover travel costs, a place to stay, and time out of work. The sudden cancellation created issues for Nationwide Arena as well since they had staffed and prepared for a sold-out audience.
Despite the scandal, Timberlake’s Forget Tomorrow tour is supposed to recommence on March 21, 2025, in Buenos Aires and continue in Europe and South America. Some of the major destinations are London, Toronto, and Sydney. Timberlake’s camp is yet to confirm if this experience would impact buying tickets in the future, but some experts opine that multiple cancellations may deter visitors.
