Head In The Clouds music and arts festival in Jakarta has been postponed indefinitely due to the international outbreak of the novel coronavirus, following the Indonesian government’s confirmation yesterday of the country’s first two cases of COVID-19 on Indonesian soil.
“Our main priority is the well-being of our fans in Indonesia, and after heavy consideration, we have decided to postpone Head in The Clouds festival Jakarta,” American music label 88rising’s CEO Sean Miyashiro said in a statement received by Coconuts yesterday.
Head In The Clouds Festival Jakarta is postponed. Information regarding rescheduling and refunds will be announced shortly. We love you Jakarta and will see you soon. pic.twitter.com/KSHafG9sbu
— 88rising (@88rising) March 2, 2020
88rising, the organizer behind the festival, said information regarding refunds for ticket holders will be announced soon.
Head In The Clouds festival, dubbed the “Asian Coachella,” was initially scheduled to take place this Saturday at JIExpo Kemayoran, with headliners including US-based hometown heroes in rapper Rich Brian and R&B singer/songwriter NIKI. Both have taken to social media following the festival’s cancelation, expressing hope of safety for everyone in Indonesia.
im very bummed about this and i hope i see you again soon jakarta, to all my friends and family please stay safe ❤️🇮🇩 https://t.co/fzbfSVe060
— Rich Brian (@richbrian) March 2, 2020
“I know that hearing Head In The Clouds is postponed makes you angry and disappointed. I don’t blame you. I sincerely share your feelings. But, at the end of the day, all we want to do is put YOUR safety and well-being first,” Niki wrote in a series of Instagram stories.
The festival was slated to feature their label mates, including former internet personality-turned R&B and trip-hop Japanese singer Joji and the I Love You 3000 singer Stephanie Poetri, as well as other up-and-coming international artists such as Thai singer-songwriter Phum Viphurit, among others.
Prior to the postponement, K-pop singer Chungha, who collaborated with Brian in a single titled These Nights, announced over the weekend that she was going to cancel her performance at Head In The Clouds, after two of her staff members were confirmed to have been infected by COVID-19 upon their return from Italy.
Chinese rap quartet Higher Brothers also had to pull out of the festival previously due to the travel ban imposed by Indonesia on flights from and to Mainland China amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
The postponement of Head In The Clouds Jakarta adds to the (likely) ever-growing list of cancelations of shows by international artists who were slated to perform in the capital. Earlier in February, American singer-songwriter Khalid, British grime rapper Stormzy, as well as American late ‘90s/early aughts pop/R&B boy band 98 Degrees announced the postponement or cancelation of their appearances in Jakarta.
