Los Angeles, California – The much-anticipated North American summer tour of Jennifer Lopez, dubbed “This Is Me… Live,” has been abruptly canceled. The decision comes amidst swirling rumors about the superstar’s marriage to Ben Affleck and reports of lackluster ticket sales.
Event-promoter Live Nation announced on Friday that the tour has been called off, with refunds being issued to Ticketmaster customers automatically. Lopez expressed her disappointment in a message to fans on her website, stating that she needed to take time off to be with her children, family, and close friends.
The tour, which was set to kick off in Orlando on June 26 and traverse across the United States and Canada, faced challenges with poor ticket sales since its announcement earlier this year. Despite this setback, Lopez remains dedicated to her fans, assuring them that the decision to cancel the tour was necessary.
Initially meant to support Lopez’s ninth album, “This Is Me… Now,” the tour was supposed to mark her return to the stage after a five-year hiatus. However, the album received mixed reviews and debuted at No. 38 on the Billboard 200, a career low for the singer. The change in the tour name from “This Is Me… Now” to “This Is Me… Live: The Greatest Hits” hinted at a shift in focus to a more retrospective career-spanning show.
The cancellation of Lopez’s tour is not an isolated incident in the music industry. Other artists like the Jonas Brothers, Pink, and Justin Timberlake have also faced challenges with their touring schedules due to various reasons, from health issues to scheduling conflicts.
Furthermore, Live Nation, the event promoter behind Lopez’s canceled tour, has come under scrutiny for allegedly operating as an effective monopoly in the live music industry. The federal government recently filed an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster, highlighting concerns about their dominance in the market.
Amidst the tour cancellation and industry challenges, Lopez has remained tight-lipped about the rumors surrounding her marriage to Ben Affleck. The couple, known as “Bennifer,” rekindled their romance recently and tied the knot in 2022. However, tabloids have been rife with speculation about their relationship status, with reports of “marriage problems” making headlines in recent weeks.
As Lopez navigates through this public scrutiny, she continues to focus on her career, recently promoting her latest film “Atlas” at a press junket. Despite the tour setback, fans can expect to see more of Lopez in the future as she takes time to regroup and prioritize what matters most to her.