Mystery surrounds Usher cancelling Australia tour leaving angry fans out of pocket

Mystery surrounds the sudden cancellation of superstar singer Usher's Australian tour - leaving fans in the dark over what happens next. The Grammy award-winning vocalist was set to play 12 dates in Sydney and Melbourne this November and December as part of the Past Present Future world tour marking his 30 years in music.

However, just weeks after tickets went on sale, fans who snapped them up received a shock email from ticket firm Ticketek announcing the shows - six at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena in November and six at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena the following month - had been called off.

They have been given no explanation as to why the concerts - which would have been the first Usher, who hails from Texas in the US, had played in Australia since 2018 - were not going ahead.

Promoter Live Nation has also not yet released any information on the reason behind the cancellations - but the 'Australia Tour Dates' section on the 46-year-old's website is now blank.

Ticketek's website said: "The promoter of Usher's Australian Tour regrets to advise that the scheduled shows to take place in November/December, will no longer be proceeding."

Fans have been promised a full refund and have been emailed with details to claim their money back, the company added. "Customers should allow approximately 30 business days for the refund to appear in their account,"a spokesperson said.

Understandably, fans have reacted to the news with dismay on social media, including some who had planned expensive trips to catch the songwriter in concert. "So are you going to refund me the non refundable flights and accommodation because a group of eight of us are flying in from another state?," said one.

Another said they were planning on travelling from New Zealand, saying: "Usher man, what you up to? It's always been a life-long dream to see you. I'm from New Zealand and bought tickets to see you in Sydney and paid for flights and accommodation. So much money wasted."