Nicki Minaj abruptly canceled her headlining performance at Bucharest, Romania’s SAGA Festival Sunday night due to a planned protest Monday in the city.
“Out of concern for the well-being of our team and myself, I have been advised by my security detail not to travel to Romania’s festival tonight due to safety concerns regarding protests in the area,” the rapper tweeted Sunday, hours before her set. “I look forward to seeing you all at another time.”
Minaj continued, “As a mom, I have to make sure I’m making sound decisions for me to make it home to my son and for my team to make it home to their families. To not heed the advice of security at this time is simply not what I think I should be doing. I love you and thank you for your understanding and support.”
“It is with a heavy heart that we have to announce Nicki Minaj has just cancelled her performance due to concerns for her and her team’s well-being in Romania… This has nothing to do with SAGA, and is beyond our powers,” SAGA Festival organizers said in a statement Sunday. “The news has left us all devastated, and we know it’s a huge disappointment for all of you, just as it is for us.” Organizers added that all unscanned tickets for the sold-out Sunday festival would be refunded.
The rapper didn’t specify what protest posed a security concern, and international news services haven’t reported much on the situation, but Crisis24 writes that “civil society groups plan to march in Bucharest” on Monday, July 8.
“Business groups and taxpayers are demanding improvements to the state’s fiscal policies and processes. Demonstrators will then rally in front of the Ministry of Finance until 13:30,” Crisis 24 noted, adding that “several hundred to low thousands of protesters will take part” and that “the demonstration will likely be peaceful.”
Despite the seemingly low threat level of the protest, Minaj’s security detail still deemed the situation a “safety concern.” However, Minaj said she’ll be back onstage Friday in London for her “very special headlining show at Wireless Festival.”
