Rihanna pulls out of Lollapalooza Colombia
Zika virus fears have prompted Rihanna to scrap her performance at Lollapalooza Colombia.
The Umbrella singer was scheduled to headline the inaugural two day event in Bogota in September (16).
Her cancellation has prompted festival organizers to axe the whole
show, according to Colombian news outlet La Tercera, insisting they
don't have enough time to find a suitable replacement.
"The organizers wish to express their deep appreciation to all the
fans who supported the festival since day one, as well as the
sponsors and the media partners," a statement reads.
Lana Del Rey, Disclosure, Wiz Khalifa, and The Chainsmokers were
also on the bill, but the big draw was Rihanna.
The September (17&18Sep16) festival would have been the first
in Colombia.
Rihanna, who is currently on tour in Europe, made the decision to
pull the plug on the Lollapalooza gig after reportedly growing
alarmed by the fact Colombia has the second-most cases of the Zika
virus after Brazil, according to Time magazine.
The illness is transmitted by infected mosquitoes.
She's not the only major star with concerns about the Zika virus
this summer (16) - tennis ace Serena Williams has admitted she's
worried about taking part in the Rio Olympics.
International medical professionals fear Brazil isn't safe enough
for the world's top athletes after World Health Organization (WHO)
officials issued a public warning advising pregnant women to avoid
areas where the Zika virus is prevalent, and, in light of the
growing concern, Serena has gone public with her thoughts about the
vicious bug.
"I’m not taking Zika lightly," she recently told Glamour magazine.
"I definitely am going everywhere protected. I’m protecting
myself.”
The virus has become an even greater concern for Serena, who is
currently dating Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, because she is
hoping to become pregnant within the next few years.