Kanye West postpones concert indefinitely - a week after UK ban

Kanye West has postponed a concert in France - a week after he was denied a visa to perform at Wireless Festival in the UK.

On X, the rapper wrote: "After much thought and consideration, it is my sole decision to postpone my show in Marseille, France until further notice."

West was due to perform at the Marseille Velodrome on 11 June, but the gig had faced a growing backlash because of his history of antisemitic comments.

Earlier in the week, French interior minister Laurent Nunez had told Politico he was "very determined" to prevent the show from going ahead.

And back in March, Marseille mayor Benoit Payan said he would refuse to let the city "be a showcase for those who promote hatred and unapologetic Nazism".

West was blocked from coming to the UK after the government concluded that his presence would "not be conducive to the public good".

He had been due to headline all three nights of the Wireless Festival in London, but the event was cancelled after his electronic travel visa authorisation was withdrawn.

Several major sponsors - including Pepsi, Rockstar Energy and Diageo - had pulled out of the event, with the booking attracting condemnation from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

In an earlier statement, Wireless organisers had said "multiple stakeholders" had been consulted before the booking, and "no concerns were highlighted at the time".

They added: "Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognise the real and personal impact these issues have had."

Following the backlash, West had offered to meet members of the Jewish community in the UK, and said he knew he had "to show change through his actions".

"My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through music," he wrote.

The 48-year-old has not performed in the UK since Glastonbury in 2015.

In the years since, he has drawn criticism for a Super Bowl advert that directed people to a swastika T-shirt, and a song referencing Hitler.

Earlier this year, West apologised for his actions in The Wall Street Journal - and blamed his behaviour on his bipolar-1 disorder, which he claims was the result of a car accident.

"I lost touch with reality," he had said. "Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret."

(c) Sky News 2026: Kanye West postpones concert indefinitely - a week after UK ban