Why is Michael Kiwanuka cancelling all upcoming tour dates? Details explored as singer issues statement

Michael Kiwanuka was scheduled to tour across Europe and North America in August and October 2025. These performances have now been canceled by the singer due to 'continued illness' and on the advice of his doctors. The singer's Instagram page posted the following statement in an Instagram Story on July 28, 2025:

"We are so sorry to announce that due to continued illness, and on the advice of doctors, Michael will sadly be unable to perform at the rest of his scheduled festival performances throughout the rest of the summer and the shows in North America in October (including the support tour with Mumford & Sons)."

The singer continued:

"We know this is disappointing news to hear, and nobody is more disappointed and saddened than Michael to no longer be taking to the stage as planned. Love and thanks to everyone for their understanding."

Michael Kiwakuna's scheduled performances were mostly a mix of festival shows and supporting performances for Mumford & Sons' tour in North America in October.

All festivals and the tour are still ongoing in Kiwakuna's absence. Cancellation and refund details can be found at the respective festival websites or vendors. Refunds for the solo Michael Kiwanuka show at Massey Hall in Toronto, Ontario, will be provided by official vendors such as Ticketmaster within 30 days.

Michael Kiwanuka released his latest album in 2024

Michael Kiwanuka released his latest studio album, Small Changes, on November 22, 2024. His third album, Kiwanuka, has been highly successful since its release, charting within the top ten spots in the UK, Switzerland, and other major charts.

Kiwanuka talked about his new album in an exclusive interview with NME on November 20, 2024, talking about the album's cover photo and how the name of the album came to be:

"It’s based on a photograph we loved – I’m a fan of photography. It was a black-and-white photo, from the ‘60s, of an Asian kid. He’s looking into the camera and there’s two hands, in a suit – so, very formal. It’s a gripping photograph. It’s like: ‘Wow: whatever happens now is going to inform the rest of his life. The way he thinks, the things he might have to battle against."

The singer continued:

"It was almost like he was deciding there and then, as a four-year-old boy, ‘What’s gonna be my path?’ For me that was quite poignant. I wanted to recreate that feeling but make it more relevant to me, so we turned it from an Asian kid to a Black kid."

The singer later added:

"I was thinking of how every passage you take is a change in your trajectory. You don’t know you’re doing it, but these tiny movements make a massive impact. That’s why I called the album ‘Small Changes’.”

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Michael Kiwanuka started his career back in the early 2000s as a session guitarist before starting his solo career in 2011. The singer released his debut album, Home Again, in 2012. This was followed by his second studio album, Love & Hate, in 2016. His self-titled third album was released in 2019. The singer has also released four EPs.

In between his solo releases, Michael Kiwanuka collaborated with Karen O on the track Yo! My Saint and had guest appearances on tracks with Nasir Jones, Unkle, Black Thought, and Danger Mouse.

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