Janet has tweeted that she plans to reschedule her European tour as soon as she can.
Whilst it’s not yet known why Janet was forced to postpone the dates, Janet has returned to Los Angeles in the meantime.
Fans who have previously purchased tickets will likely be expected to purchase them again.
You're missing me, I'm missing you… I'll be rescheduling our Unbreakable shows in Europe as soon as I can. Xoxo
— Janet Jackson (@JanetJackson) March 10, 2016
Janet arrived in Los Angeles on Wednesday night having not been seen since it was announced she would be cancelling her European tour. Janet was accompanied by her husband Wissam Al Mana.
No official announcement has come from Janet or her team, but it’s believed by Janet Love that the decision to cancel was taken by LiveNation.
Janet had previously been rehearsing in London’s Covent Garden at Pineapple Dance Studios whilst staying in the British capital.
The below video is shot by paparazzi and contains them asking Janet questions about her health and the cancellation.
Janet Jackson leaving LAX Airport (Mar 10, 2016)
Looking drained and followed by her husband, singer Janet Jackson landed in Los Angeles a few hours ago and was spotted leaving the LAX Airport.We haven't yet heard from her team about the sudden postponement of her concerts in Europe, but sources said LIVE NATION decided unilaterally! According to new rumors, LN pulled the plug without Janet or her team's consent.The Dubai World Cup concert is not produced by Live Nation UK, therefore it is still scheduled for March 26.
Posted by JANET.br on Thursday, 10 March 2016
Janet has “postponed” her UK tour along with dates in other European cities, according to an email received by fans from ticket company Ticketmaster.
The email claims “scheduling difficulties” as the reason for the announcement.
Janet has been spotted rehearsing for the tour in London for the past few weeks with secret rehearsals taking place at Pineapple Dance Studios in Covent Garden.
Fans in Berlin and Dusseldorf have also received cancellation emails and notifications they will be refunded for their tickets.
Janet Love was set to be front row for Birmingham and London.
Fans also received a voicemail from Ticketmaster confirming the cancellation.
Janet has added Prague, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo to the upcoming European leg of her Unbreakable World Tour.
Norway is already on sale. Antwerp, Amsterdam and Prague go on sale on 16th October at 09.00, whilst Stockholm and Copenhagen will be released on 19th October at 09.00.
Full details can be found at LiveNation now.
Janet Jackson has today officially announced her UK and European tour dates. Janet Love broke the news yesterday that Janet would be performing four UK shows.
Dublin, which was previously expected to have a date on April 2nd, has not yet been announced and it is not known whether this show will go ahead.
The tour will also visit Paris in France, four dates in Germany and one in Switzerland.
All shows will go on general sale this Friday.
Wednesday 30th March 2016
Barclaycard Arena
BirminghamThursday 31st March 2016
The O2
LondonSaturday 2nd April 2016
O2 Arena
DublinMonday 4th April 2016
The SSE Hydro
GlasgowTuesday 5th April 2016
Manchester Arena
ManchesterSunday 10th April 2016
Omnisport de Bercy
ParisMonday 11th April 2016
Hallenstaden
ZurichWednesday 13th April 2016
Barclaycard Arena
HamburgThursday 14th April 2016
Festhalle
FrankfurtSaturday 16th April 2016
Mitsubishi Electric Halle
DusseldorfMonday 18th April 2016
Max Schmeling Halle
Berlin
Gil Duldulao, Janet’s choreographer and close friend, told Janet Love last night that there are hopes to take the Rock Witchu Tour worldwide. As of now the plan is for the tour to visit Australia first before heading to Japan and then Hawaii and possibly Europe around March 2009.
There are also hopes for the tour to visit Brazil where the show will be filmed for television and DVD.
In a new message to her SayNow page, Janet has left a message saying she will be bringing her tour to Europe.
“I just wanted to let you know that we’ve completed our first week of tour rehearsals and they are going very well. We are so all excited. We’re having so much fun.”
She then asked fans to keep messages coming to her SayNow page.
Janet added: “I wanted to let you know that any rumours that you’ve heard of me not taking the Rock Witchu Tour to Europe and other places – it’s false. This is a world tour, so we plan on hitting all of those spots, alright?. Don’t believe everything that you read. Alright, talk to you later.”
Island Def Jam have released a statement regarding the promotion of Discipline to Billboard magazine in response to Janet’s recent comments on the SOHH blog.
“Unfortunately we haven’t experienced the results we would have liked with this new album. But we respect and support Janet.”
The Billboard article does, however, confuse Janet’s comments about being unable to visit Europe on her promotional tour as her saying that she will not be bringing the Rock Witchu Tour to the continent. Island Def Jam responded saying that the label “has nothing to do with Janet’s tour”. Indeed Island Def Jam is in no way linked to the upcoming tour and Janet’s comments about not coming to Europe were not related to the Live Nation Rock Witchu Tour.
Janet has said in an teleconference interview with several bloggers that she does not expect there to be any further single releases from Discipline. She also speaks of her wish to come to promote the album in Europe but the lack of support she received from her record label means that it never happened.
On the next single:
“That’s pretty difficult to say, only because of the record label at this point. We started off with “Feedback” and the label and myself haven’t quite seen eye to eye since the “Feedback” single so they’ve kind of basically stopped all promotion. I’m trying to figure out a way to say this, but just to say it and to be quite honest, they just stopped all promotion whatsoever on the album so I don’t think you’re going to hear another single off this album.”
On the Rock Witchu Tour:
“It’s a completely different show, like nothing before in the past. My real goal is to try and do every single I’ve ever had… so I have to figure out how to fit that into two hours and yet give them enough so they don’t feel hungry for more of that song in particular.”
On why she chose the name Rock Witch U:
“It’s fitting to me, fitting to what the show will be like. It’s a dance show, it’s all upbeat I want it to be a party onstage, a party in the arena. I’ve always said when people come to these shows I want them to forget about all their problems all the drama in their lives and just have a good time, just let it go for a couple hours and bring some happiness into their lives. It’s going to be one big party, I want to ‘Rock Witchu.'”
On not coming to Europe:
“I just want to let the fans know because I’ve been reading a lot what the bloggers have been saying about the record and not hearing it on the radio and stuff like that, so I just wanted to let them know where things were as well and where it was all coming from. I’ve heard people talking about me not coming to Europe in support of the record just to let them know that it was definitely in my heart to go to Europe and to support this album but it’s about teamwork, it’s not something I can totally do on my own. Unfortunately things have turned out the way that they have with the differences between the label and myself, which we have been having for the most part from the beginning. So I just want to tell them again thank you very much for all the love and all the support and I they understand the entire situation and I’m really excited to see everybody on tour. I’m really looking forward to that it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
So a little thought occurred to me yesterday as I was listening to the Damita Jo album. Some of my favourite Janet tracks of recent years are European produced or written. Producers like Stargate and writers like Cathy Dennis have given Janet some of her best tracks in my opinion.
Now, does that mean that because I’m British I affiliate more with such songs? Or does it just mean that the songs are actually bloody good and have an international reach?
For those of you that aren’t sure which tracks I’m talking about, they include: 2nite, Island Life, All Nite (Don’t Stop) and Slolove.
In fact, I’d be bold enough to say that I think Janet should work with Stargate on a whole album of up-tempo stuff – because (in my opinion again!) that’s the best material she produces! But maybe that’s just because I’m a British/European music lover.
I’d welcome your thoughts – especially Transatlantic ones.