Solange Knowles canceled her New Year’s Eve performance at South Africa’s Afropunk festival and she wants fans to know there is a serious reason for doing so — her health.
The “Cranes in the Sky” singer/songwriter reveals that she has been diagnosed with an autonomic disorder, nerve disorder condition.
In an Instagram message Wednesday, which Solange said she rewrote “like 5 times,” she opened up about why she explains why she cannot take the stage at the end-of-year celebration in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“The past five months I have been quietly treating, and working through an Autonomic Disorder,” she writes. “It been a journey that hasn’t been easy on me… Sometimes I feel cool, and other times not so cool at all. It’s a complicated diagnoses, and I’m still learning so much myself, but right now, my doctors are not clearing me for such an extended lengthy flight, and doing a rigorous show right after… (sic).”
Solange goes on to apologize for canceling the appearance, but vows to perform at the festival in the future.
“I give you my ABSOLUTE WORD I will come back with AfroPunk and deliver this performance…..as it is so extremely important to me to connect with the people who have so closely inspired me in so many ways,” she continues. “I can’t thank Afro Punk (sic) enough for their support, and to all of the other festivals this past summer/fall who have known about my health, kept it confidential, and gone out of their way to make me feel supported while doing these shows. As a part of the self care that I’ve tried to encourage this past year, it needs to start with myself, and I’m looking forward to doing a better job of this (in) 2018…”
Festival organizers have also issued their own statement online about the change of plans, expressing their support and well wishes for Solange.
It reads: “It is incredibly important to those of us at AFROPUNK that she recovers and remains in good health. Her music and spirit has been a place of great comfort and inspiration to us as a community. And of course we are incredibly saddened that she will no longer be performing at the inaugural AFROPUNK Joburg (sic) this weekend.”
The news emerges after Solange pulled out of performing at Florida State University’s Homecoming concert last month due to a medical condition, although she did not detail the exact nature of her ailment at the time.
According to the Mayo Clinic, autonomic nerve disorders involve the autonomic nerve system, which controls the body’s involuntary functions. Symptoms include but are not limited to fatigue, dizziness, weakness and cognitive impairment.