Why did Yusuf/Cat Stevens postpone his North American Tour? Reasons explored

It was not good news to most: Yusuf (better known under his earlier stage name Cat Stevens) has officially called off his North American book tour. The tour, which was scheduled to coincide with the release of his autobiography, Cat on the Road to FindOut, was to be a mix of stories and music. But weeks before the first show, the tour was placed on hold, and the reason, as he explained, boils down to visa problems.

In a social media update, Yusuf stated that his crew had been waiting for months for performance visas. Still, processing delays made it impossible to arrange the necessary logistics for the tour. He was most disappointed on behalf of those fans who had already bought tickets and booked their travel. However, he held out hope that the tour would be rescheduled but warned that new dates would be "some time away."

Why Yusuf/Cat Stevens Postponed His North American Tour

The announcement generated interest right away, in part because it was another example of how a foreign artist's plans collided with bureaucratic tape. Yusuf had indicated the tour was "in serious jeopardy" days before he actually cancelled, hinting at deteriorating visa issues.

What actually transpired? From his post, it was evident that the performance visas for him and his accompanying musicians or crew members had not been granted in time. Without them, he explained, the production aspect of the tour couldn't be secured.

The tour was scheduled to begin on October 2 in Philadelphia, stopping in cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and even Toronto, Canada. However, with the postponement, all of that is now on hold. Yusuf assured fans the U.S. launch of the memoir would go ahead as scheduled, stating that "books don't need visas."

Trending

The anecdote rang true not only because of Yusuf's persona, but also because it illustrates a wider issue: recent surges in visa delays, increased fees, and red tape backlogs are increasingly debilitating artists trying to tour abroad.

Fans will be holding their breath in anticipation of when and if the tour will continue, and if the same visa hurdles will forever keep international acts at bay. The book, however, continues relentlessly, unaffected by the hurdles that can hinder live performances.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback