Kanye West reportedly dropped out of Coachella because festival bosses refused to build him a giant dome.
According to editors at Billboard, days before the rapper was due to be revealed as one of the 2019 headliners, he insisted on performing in a custom-built dome in the middle of the festival grounds at the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, California rather than on the main stage.
The dome would be created by set designer John McGuire, and Kanye would play in the centre in an in the round format.
The 41-year-old had reportedly complained that the main stage at Coachella was not big enough for his performance, but senior executives at the music event’s promoter Goldenvoice dismissed his demands.
Kanye’s dome would be impossible to build in four months, and organisers would need to rearrange the entire desert festival site and remove a large section of portable bathrooms, Billboard reported.
It was also alleged that when Kanye was told his dome would not be built, he became irritated, and abruptly ended talks with Goldenvoice bosses.
Less than 24 hours after the Flashing Lights hitmaker pulled out of Coachella, Ariana Grande had apparently been signed up as his replacement.
The line-up for the two-weekend festival, which takes place on 12-14 April, and 19-21 April, also includes Childish Gambino, Janelle Monae, Tame Impala, Kid Cudi, Wiz Khalifa, Pusha T, and Bad Bunny.
Additionally, reporters at the publication claimed that this isn’t the first time that talks have fallen through due to Kanye’s overzealous dome demands. The rapper was allegedly close to landing a headliner slot at the upcoming Governors Ball Music Festival in New York, only to have promoters refuse to build his alternative stage.
Kanye’s representatives have declined to comment on the report.
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