Lorde has cancelled her performance at MTV’s upcoming 2021 VMAs.

“Due to a change in production elements, Lorde can no longer perform at this year’s show,” the VMAs Twitter account announced on Friday. “We love Lorde and cannot wait for her to perform on the VMA stage in the future!”

It is unclear what “production elements” are keeping Lorde from taking the stage – or if she will be attending at all.

Lorde, whose video for “Solar Power” is nominated for Best Cinematography, has had trouble with VMAs performances in the past.

In 2017, she left fans baffled after taking the stage to perform her song “Homemade Dynamite” only to do an interpretive-style dance instead of actually singing. The song played in the background.

Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor (Lorde), later explained that she was battling the flu on Twitter.

lorde

Lorde was announced as part of an all-star VMAs lineup last month. Though Ella has dropped off the bill, other stars are set to rock the Barclays Center stage in Brooklyn.

Camila Cabello, Lil Nas X, Machine Gun Kelly and Olivia Rodrigo — all of whom were announced in the initial round of performers alongside Lorde — are still set to sing. Kacey Musgraves, Chlöe Bailey, Shawn Mendes and Twenty One Pilots have also been added to the lineup. Host Doja Cat, of course, will also perform for the VMAs audience.

Justin Bieber is the latest addition to the slew of stars playing MTV’s biggest show. The “Peaches” singer, 27, hasn’t performed on an awards show since the Billboard Music Awards in May 2016. He hasn’t visited the VMAs since August 2015 when he sang “Where Are Ü Now” and “What Do You Mean?” for the Los Angeles audience.

The 2021 Video Music Awards air live on MTV Sunday, September 12 at 8 p.m. ET.

 

 

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