Fact Check: Did Andrea Bocelli and other artists cancel NYC tour dates after Zohran Mamdani’s win?
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the NYC mayoral race has sparked strong reactions from both supporters and critics. While some expressed disapproval of his policies, many celebrated his decisive win as a triumph for progressive change.
Now, a claim is circulating that Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli canceled his NYC tour dates because of the newly elected mayor. A Facebook post shared the news with the caption, “Andrea Bocelli cancels all scheduled performances in New York City for next year.”
The post also included an alleged quote from Bocelli: “Sorry, New York - but I don’t sing for communists.” It’s not just Bocelli. Several other claims suggest that Jason Aldean, Kid Rock, Brandon Lake, Steven Tyler, and George Strait have also “canceled” their NYC tours.
But how much truth is there to these claims? Let’s take a closer look.
Where did the claims about Andrea Bocelli and other artists’ NYC cancellations originate?
The claims began with a Facebook post by the page Country Melody Memories, which featured a collage of Zohran Mamdani and Andrea Bocelli. The post included a link that, when clicked, led to a site called hotnews.otoarizasi.
The headline on the page read, "BREAKING NEWS: Andrea Bocelli cancels all scheduled performances in New York City for next year, declaring boldly: ‘Sorry, New York – but I don’t sing for communists."
The story’s introduction added more drama: "The classical music world was thrown into absolute chaos this morning when Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, one of the most beloved and respected vocalists on the planet, announced that he is canceling all of his scheduled performances in New York City for 2026, issuing a statement that stunned fans, critics, and political commentators alike."
Several other Facebook searches revealed multiple posts claiming that artists such as Jason Aldean, Kid Rock, Brandon Lake, Steven Tyler, and George Strait were also canceling their NYC concerts, allegedly saying they would not perform for "communists."
Fact check: Andrea Bocelli and other artists did not cancel NYC tour dates after Zohran Mamdani's win
To clear up the confusion, no, these reports are completely false. Andrea Bocelli, Jason Aldean, Kid Rock, Brandon Lake, Steven Tyler, and George Strait did not cancel their shows in New York City.
A closer look at the source reveals that the Facebook page Country Melody Memories is managed from Vietnam. It frequently shares AI-generated content designed to engage audiences and drive clicks, as per Lead Stories.
As for the other artists, there’s no credible news on Yahoo, Google, or even trending on X. No reputable publication, such as Fox News, BBC, New York Post, New York Times, or any other major outlet, has shared any such news.
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
