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Before Richmond show, Lauryn Hill apologizes to ATL fans for tardiness

Posted at 3:40 PM, May 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-09 16:14:55-04

RICHMOND, Va. – Grammy-winning musician Ms. Lauryn Hill will take the stage at The National on Tuesday, May 10.

Hopefully, the artist will find no issue “aligning my [her] energy with the time” for her Richmond performance, unlike a recent concert where she could only play for 40 minutes after arriving late.

She recently apologized to her fans after showing up over two hours late for a concert Friday evening at the Chastain Park Amphitheatre in Atlanta. Then when she did finally arrive, Hill was forced to cut the concert after only 40 minutes of performing, due to a curfew issued by officials at the venue.

Audible booing could be heard throughout the park as the crowd waited anxiously for Hill’s arrival. The crowd continued to boo even after Hill took the stage.

Hill posted a message to her official Facebook page to show her gratitude to those who waited through the delay:

I don’t show up late to shows because I don’t care. And I have nothing but Love and respect for my fans. The challenge is aligning my energy with the time, taking something that isn’t easily classified or contained, and trying to make it available for others. I don’t have an on/off switch. I am at my best when I am open, rested, sensitive and liberated to express myself as truthfully as possible. For every performance that I’ve arrived to late, there have been countless others where I’ve performed in excess of two hours, beyond what I am contracted to do, pouring everything out on the stage.

Because I care so deeply about the artistic process, I scrutinize, have perfectionist tendencies, and want space made for spontaneity, which is not an easy process, with the many moving parts on the road. Some days we are more successful than others re time. However, the vitality that is infused into the performances is always appreciated by the audiences, who may not know exactly what it took to accomplish. What hasn’t been touched upon by the media, I’m sure, are the hundreds of people who rushed the stage and stayed in excess of an hour after the show ended last night, just to connect.

Our challenge is to figure out the best way to accommodate the vitality, spontaneity, and spirit that make the performances worthwhile and special to begin with, while also making that experience available and accessible to others. If I didn’t Love and respect the art, I wouldn’t be doing this. The audience and I should have that in common.

My true audience knows emphatically that I care. It isn’t possible to affect people in any deep and meaningful way without putting sacrificial time in.

I have nothing but Love and appreciation for the fans in Atlanta, and regret not being able to give you a full show. We are figuring out a plan to make it up to you, and will announce details as soon as we have them.

Respectfully,
MLH

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