Belgian Stromae cancels concerts

Belgian singer Stromae has been forced to cancel a series of concerts, including a gig in Rwanda where his father died in the 1994 genocide, after an adverse reaction to anti-malaria medicine, his producers said Sunday.

Stromae, who rose to international prominence with his 2013 album "Racine Carree", began a tour of Africa on May 13 in the Senegalese capital Dakar, which had been due to culminate in the Rwandan capital Kigali next Saturday.

But he had to pull out of a concert in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, on Saturday after returning to Europe with health problems, promoter Alain Yav said.

Medical examinations showed that Stromae, whose real name is Paul Van Haver, "is suffering from the serious secondary effects of anti-malaria treatment," his producers explained Sunday.

His health will need to be monitored in the next few weeks, forcing the cancellation of all his concerts until early August.

The cancelled gigs included appearances at the Wireless Festival in London on July 5 and at the giant Benicassim festival in Spain on July 17, as well as a gig at the Nos Alive Festival in Chicago on August 2.

The local promoters in Rwanda said they had received a large number of phone calls from worried fans.

"People are mainly worried about his health. I realise how much he is loved in Rwanda," said Judo Kanobana, the head of Positive Production.

The 30-year-old Belgian, who has found runaway success with his danceable, at times philosophical tracks, had said before his Dakar concert that going to Rwanda would be an emotional experience for him.

"As I get closer and closer to Rwanda... a lot of things are going to come out (in me) and honestly, I don't know what to expect."

Having achieved fame in Europe and Africa, Stromae is due to play his biggest concert yet in the United States, at Madison Square Garden in New York City in October.

Stromae has also collaborated with US rap superstar Kanye West, who performed with him at the Coachella festival in California in April.
Source: AFP