Donald Glover Falls Ill, Postpones Childish Gambino Tour Dates

Donald Glover, also widely known by his musical alter ego Childish Gambino, has announced the postponement of his ongoing North American tour due to health concerns. Glover took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Sept. 9 to break the news to his followers.

In the message, he stated, “Hey everyone. Unfortunately, I have to postpone the rest of the North American tour to focus on my physical health for a few weeks. Hold onto your tickets. ALL tickets will be honored for the upcoming dates in North America when they are rescheduled. Thanks for the privacy. Thanks for the support. Thanks for the love.”

The concert tour, named “The New World Tour,” was set to be Glover’s swan song as Childish Gambino. The actor, comedian, and rapper had previously revealed his intentions to retire this musical persona, citing a lack of fulfillment. In an interview with the New York Times, Glover explained, “It really was just, like, ‘Oh, it’s done.’ It’s not fulfilling. And I just felt like I didn’t need to build in this way anymore.”

The postponement affects numerous high-profile venues across the United States. Fans in Denver anticipating Glover’s performance at the Ball Arena will have to wait for a new date to be announced according to CBS News. Similarly, the American Airlines Center in Dallas, which was scheduled to host Glover along with opening act Willow Smith on Sept. 11, now stands empty on that night per WFAA.

This isn’t the first hiccup in Glover’s farewell tour. Reports indicate that he had previously canceled a concert in August due to “production issues,” and more recently postponed a Houston show on Sept. 10, citing illness reported the outlet. These incidents, culminating in the tour-wide postponement, have raised concerns about the artist’s health and the demanding nature of his schedule.

Glover’s most recent album, Bando Stone & the New World, released in July, marks the fifth and final chapter in the Childish Gambino discography. The tour was designed to showcase this new material while giving fans a last opportunity to experience Childish Gambino live. Originally slated to conclude its North American leg in Chicago on Oct. 3, the tour was then set to move to Europe in November, followed by shows in New Zealand and Australia in early 2025.

Despite the setback, Glover remains committed to his artistic vision. In his New York Times interview, he shared his perspective on success, stating, “Success to me is, honestly, being able to put out a wide-scale album that I would listen to. For this album, I really wanted to be able to play big rooms and have big, anthemic songs that fill those rooms, so that people feel a sense of togetherness.”