Beyonce backs out of Coachella

NEW YORK • Beyonce, 35, pregnant with twins, has confirmed it: She will not play at Coachella this year after all.

Her company Parkwood Entertainment and Goldenvoice, the promoter behind the festival in Indio, California, confirmed that Beyonce has pulled out of the event, to be held over two weekends in April, "following the advice of her doctors to keep a less rigorous schedule in the coming months", a statement said, according to The Associated Press.

"However", the statement continued, "Goldenvoice and Parkwood are pleased to confirm that she will be a headliner at the 2018 festival. Thank you for your understanding".

Beyonce's booking, announced last month, was a major coup for Coachella, representing the first time that the 18-year-old festival had booked a major pop act - with a full choreographed show expected - for its main stage.

It was also one of the very few times that the festival had selected a woman as a headlining act.

But her involvement was thrown into question when she announced three weeks ago that she was expecting.

The festival, scheduled for the weekends of April 14 to 16 and 21 to 23, will feature Radiohead and Kendrick Lamar as its other headliners. Goldenvoice has not announced whether it will have a replacement for Beyonce.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 25, 2017, with the headline Beyonce backs out of Coachella. Subscribe