British singers Louis Tomlinson and Yungblud as well as the band Franz Ferdinand have cancelled upcoming performances in Russia in light of the Russia-Ukraine war, following in the footsteps of other music acts to do so.
Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Scottish indie rockers Franz Ferdinand said they were pulling Russian gigs scheduled for the summer, adding: “We love Russia. This great country has inspired our band through its art and literature and since we first played there seventeen years ago, we have built a rich and deep relationship with our Russian fans.”
Tomlinson, a former member of boy band One Direction, said late on Monday that he was cancelling tour shows in Moscow and Kyiv.
“The safety of my fans is my priority and my thoughts go out to the people of Ukraine and all those suffering ...,” he wrote on Twitter.
Announcing he had cancelled his Russia shows, Yungblud said he was “heartbroken” to do so.
Other acts to pull Russian gigs in the last few days include US rock bands Green Day and Health and indie pop trio AJR.