Paloma Faith cancels concert due to illness days before Glastonbury set

Medics advised the “Make Your Own Kind of Music” singer not to perform in Southampton tonight

Paloma Faith announced on social media that she was too ill to sing in her Southampton show on Friday (28 June).

Faith, who is known for hits such as “Lullaby”, “Only Love Can Hurt Like This” and “Picking Up the Pieces”, said that illnesses she caught from her young children had affected her vocal range.

She wrote on X and on Instagram: “I’m incredibly upset and disappointed to announce that I need to cancel my show tonight in Southampton. After suffering from exhaustion and catching various illnesses from my kids, my voice has been severely affected and my range is compromised. I have sought advice from medical professionals, they have advised that I need to rest my voice and that means I’ve had to cancel tonight’s show.”

Faith is scheduled to perform at Glastonbury Festival on the Pyramid Stage at 1:45-2:45pm on Sunday 30 June. She also has several shows lined up for next week across the UK, at the Eventim Apollo in London on Wednesday 3 July, at the Utilita Arena in Cardiff on Thursday 4 July, at the Godiva Festival in Coventry on Saturday 6 July and at Sounds Of The City in Leeds on Sunday 7 July. She has not yet cancelled any of these upcoming shows.

The star apologised to the fans who had purchased tickets to her gig at Southampton Summer Sessions.

“I’m so sorry to everyone who bought tickets, I’ve loved being on the road and seeing all your gorgeous faces and I’m gutted I won’t be dancing with you tonight.”

Faith has two daughters, born in 2016 and 2021. The singer split from her long-term boyfriend, the French artist Leyman Lahcine, in 2022. She told The Independent last year: “Our relationship ended because we had those children – it was worth it.”

The concert in Southampton was part of the Paloma Faith Tour 2024-2025. The tour began in Reading in April, and has included 34 dates so far. She performed at the Forest Live 2024 concert in Surrey yesterday. The tour follows the release of her sixth album The Glorification of Sadness on 16 February 2024. The album is inspired by her break-up with Lahcine. 13 more shows are planned until August.

Paloma Faith performs at Wembley arena in December 2023 (John Phillips/Getty Images for The National Lottery)

Her memoir, MILF: Motherhood, Identity, Love and F*ckery, was released on 6 June 2024 and was an instant Sunday Times bestseller.