Solange had been slated to perform at the AfroPunk festival in South Africa over New Year’s Eve. But in a Wednesday Instagram post, the Seat at the Table singer explained that she had to back out because of her battle with an autonomic disorder, which she has been “quietly treating†for the last five months. “Wrote, deleted and re wrote this like 5 times …,†Solange started her post. “Still not sure what exactly or how much I want to share … However it’s so important to me for the people in South Africa, a place that has tremendous meaning to me and that has given me SO SO MUCH, to know why I won’t be performing at Afro Punk this NYE.â€
Solange went on to say that she has been dealing with an autonomic disorder — a problem with the autonomic nervous system that can create issues with heart-rate regulation, blood pressure, body temperature, cognitive impairment, and more — for the last several months. “It been a journey that hasn’t been easy on me … Sometimes I feel cool, and other times not so cool at all,†she wrote.
She explained that given her “complicated diagnosis,†her doctors would not clear her for the “extended lengthy flight†to South Africa, or for “doing a rigorous show right after.†She expressed how sad she was to miss the performance, and thanked AfroPunk and “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.â€