Liela Moss, the former vocalist for indie group The Duke Spirit, has cancelled her upcoming UK tour, citing the “spiralling costs” of live performances and disappointing ticket sales. Moss, now pursuing a solo career, shared a candid and detailed explanation on social media, revealing the financial strains that made it impossible for her to continue with the tour as planned.
In a statement posted on X/Twitter, Moss explained that the costs of putting on the tour had become unmanageable. “The spiralling cost of putting these dates on, combined with poor ticket sales has forced me to reconsider the viability of continuing with the shows,” she wrote, going on to cite a combination of low ticket uptake and soaring logistical expenses as obstacles facing the tour.
Moss’s post conveyed the financial reality many smaller and independent artists face. Despite her willingness to take on personal debt, the situation became unsustainable: “The short tour was always going to leave me with a considerable debt…I expected and was prepared for [it] by forecasting a small upward trajectory in shows and venue size next year.” But with poor ticket sales and rising costs, Moss found herself unable to justify pushing forward, noting that the financial risk was no longer a viable option.
Cancellation of live dates. pic.twitter.com/ujm6h10tSK
— ʟɪᴇʟᴀ ᴍᴏss (@LielaMoss) October 7, 2024
“I am now forced to make the very difficult decision to cancel,” Moss continued, though she also made clear that the promoters and venue owners had been supportive throughout her solo endeavours. Moss’s cancellation reflects a wider trend in the industry, where musicians are increasingly struggling with the costs of touring. “The live scene as it stands right now is suffering from low ticket uptake among the smaller artists and bands,” she added.
“I understand that money is tight for everyone, and there are a lot of other great bands and musicians touring right now. Somewhere down the chain someone takes a hit…I think this year, that is me, sadly,” she admitted. The financial pressures she described mirror those voiced by other artists recently, such as Michael Kiwanuka and Rachel Chinouriri, who have also spoken out about the unsustainable costs of touring in the current climate, and in Chinouriri’s case, even cancelled shows. Moss also joins a growing list of artists, including The Armed and Blur, who have spoken out about the financial challenges of touring.
Moss’s latest album, Transparent Eyeball, is scheduled for release soon, following up on last year’s Internal Working Model. The upcoming album includes the single “Dark Kitchens,” a sharp critique of modern consumer culture. “It’s all about the gratification, the convenience. Feed the hangover,” Moss said of the track in a recent interview, hinting at the album’s wider themes of modern alienation. Other tracks such as “Prism,” “Reward,” and “Conditional Love” promise an incisive and hard-hitting project, but one that fans will have to wait longer to hear live.
