After being plagued by several delays due to ongoing health concerns, pop megastar Justin Bieber is canceling his world tour in support of his 2021 album Justice, yet again. Bieber has been dealing with health struggles since February when he tested positive for COVID-19. In June, the singer revealed that he had been diagnosed with Ramsay-Hunt Syndrome, a rare reaction to the novel coronavirus.
The Justice World Tour, the fourth tour by Bieber, was originally scheduled to take place in May of 2020 but was shut down prematurely due to the worldwide COVID response. The singer announced rescheduled dates in July of 2021 but in April he again postponed the shows until 2022. In November, additional dates were announced which would span into 2023. The tour was to be truly world-spanning with scheduled dates in North America, Europe, South America, Africa, Israel, India, Australia, Oceania, Indonesia, The Philippines, and Dubai.
Following his performance in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the singer made a statement on his Instagram stories that the date would be his last on the tour, stating that he was exhausted “and I realized that I need to make my health a priority right now,” according to Forbes. He told his viewers that he was “going to take a break from touring for the time being” and that he was “going to be ok, but I need time to rest and get better.”
Bieber did not say whether he was experiencing any complications after his treatment for Ramsay-Hunt Syndrome, a condition that causes facial paralysis, which can be permanent if not treated quickly. The syndrome can also cause pain in the jaw, neck, and ear and may even cause hearing loss. Beiber has used Instagram in the past to discuss his struggles with substance and mental health issues in the past, as reported by Global News. In 2020, he also used Instagram to reveal he had been diagnosed with Lyme disease.
There is currently no word on whether Bieber will try to reschedule the tour in the future or if the dates are all now permanently cancelled.