Keli Holiday Forced to Cancel NYC Show After U.S. Entry Revoked Mid-Tour

Keli Holiday says his North American tour came to an unexpected end after he was reportedly denied re entry into the United States, forcing him to cancel a planned New York City show and head back to Australia early.

“Unfortunately I’m not going to make it to tonight’s show at Baby’s All Right in NYC,” Holiday wrote on Instagram. “I have spent all day detained at the Canadian border and denied entry back into the U.S. despite having the proper visa documentation in place.”

“I’m still trying to get clarity on the situation myself,” he added.

Holiday was originally scheduled to perform a short North American run between May 1 and May 7, with the Brooklyn date intended to close out the tour. A representative later confirmed that the artist had already returned to Australia ahead of upcoming performances across New South Wales and Victoria.

The incident arrives amid increasing concerns surrounding U.S. border procedures and tighter visa checks impacting international travelers and touring musicians. Proposed updates connected to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) program have sparked discussion throughout Australia and New Zealand, particularly regarding stricter screening processes and expanded entry requirements.

Hyde launched the Keli Holiday project in 2021 as a more personal and indie driven counterpart to Peking Duk, the successful electronic act he formed alongside Reuben Styles. The duo first broke through with songs like “High” featuring Nicole Millar, which reached the top five on the ARIA Singles Chart and helped establish Peking Duk as one of Australia’s biggest electronic acts of the 2010s.

As previously reported, Holiday currently holds the highest charting Australian release on the latest ARIA Albums Chart with his sophomore collection Capital Fiction debuting at No. 3. During his time with Peking Duk, Hyde previously reached No. 12 on the chart with the duo’s 2018 album Reprisal.

Capital Fiction also includes the track “Dancing2,” a deeply personal single inspired by how Hyde met his partner, Sydney media personality Abbie Chatfield. The song placed at No. 2 on triple j’s Hottest 100 countdown for 2025, won Best Video at last year’s ARIA Awards, and was later performed live by Holiday during the ceremony.

Under the Keli Holiday name, Hyde has embraced a darker blend of indie pop, dance, and alternative music, releasing songs like “Dancing2” while steadily building a loyal audience through club dates and festival performances.

Fans quickly flooded Holiday’s social media comments with support following the cancellation announcement, with many encouraging him to reschedule the New York date once the visa issue is resolved.