Incubus Adds Beloved Musician to Band in Wake of Ben Kenney's Brain Surgery

A new face has joined Incubus. Bassist Ben Kenney announced in January that he would miss the band's immediate shows due to brain surgery. To handle bass duties for their early 2023 dates, the band called in Tal Wilkenfeld, but as summer approaches, they've decided to recruit a second bassist, Nicole Row, for their upcoming shows. As a pop-rock musician, Row has performed with Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa, and the now-split Panic! at the Disco, her most notable rock credit as a bassist.

"We are excited to announce that our good friend [Nicole Row] will be filling in on bass for the remainder of our 2023 tour dates," wrote Incubus on their social media. "As Ben continues to recover from his surgery, we welcome Nicole to the band and look forward to playing shows with her this year! We're currently in rehearsals for the upcoming tour and cant wait to get back out on the road to see everyone this summer!"

Concerning Kenney, Incubus had initially announced earlier that he would miss their immediate shows as he recuperated from a "medical procedure." The band's statement did not provide details on Kenney's surgery, but he revealed on his own social media page that he recently underwent brain surgery to remove a tumor. Taking to Instagram, the bassist shared a picture of his shaved head with a stitched-up scar from the area where doctors operated on him.

He captioned the photo, "Unfortunately last year I found out I had a brain tumor. As soon as I got home from tour I had a successful operation to have it removed. This year I am taking some time away from touring & social media to recover. My friend [Tal Wilkenfeld] is taking over the bass with [Incubus] while I'm away. I won't physically be at the shows but I will be there in spirit. I miss you all and I hope you and your loved ones are safe and in good health."

Following Incubus' announcement confirming her participation in place of Kenney, Wilkenfeld commented. "Honored to have been asked to perform with Incubus to fill in for my awesome friend Ben Kenney on their upcoming tour."

On May 11, Incubus will kick off their late spring/summer tour in Highland, California.