Retro pop prince Stephen Sanchez has hit out at the “pornographic” state of pop music after being forced to cancel his Australian tour.
While slow ticket sales and a lacklustre reception to his second album Love, Love, Love are likely behind Sanchez pulling the plug on next month’s Lover Down Under shows, which was set to begin in Brisbane on July 15, the 23-year-old posted a lengthy, sad explanation for the cancellation.
In short, he’s not a fan of his new record.
The singer songwriter became a global sensation with his debut album Angel Face in 2023, propelled by the billion-streaming single Until I Found You and fan favourites High and Evangeline.
But singles from his new record have failed to strike a chord. In his post, Sanchez revealed the stress and anxiety he suffered during the album’s creation made him want to quit music.
“The cancellation of the NZ/AU Tour without explanation has left some of you with questions and I imagine some frustrated feelings as well. I know many of you had hotels and flights booked. I’m truly sorry for that,” he began.
“I spent the majority of 2025 working on LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. In short, what felt like never ending conflict, stress, anxiety, and overall deeply negative energy surrounding the process and lead up to this album’s release absolutely ruined this music for me,” he posted on Instagram.
“It affected me so much that I wanted to quit making music all together.”
Sanchez said he went ahead with his European dates hoping performing the songs and reconnecting with fans would switch his perspective.
The young American artist even proceeded with a slippery set during the annual Summertime Ball at London’s Wembley Stadium 10 days ago where he slid and stumbled all over the stage after a rainstorm.
But as he wrote his apology to fans “sitting in an airport”, it became clear Sanchez will be taking a long break from touring commitments.
The young artist had plenty to say about his pop peers and it wasn’t complimentary.
“What made things even more discouraging for me was hearing some of the popular music that was coming out during the time I was working on this album,” he wrote.
“Disgusting, heavily pornographic lyrics, nothing driving people to do anything, to see anything different in a way that helps others along.
“So much of it felt dividing or shallow or filled with lust, not love. ‘But it’s catchy.’ Music needs to do better. What’s said is so important, what we leave behind is so important. It’s left me feeling so depressed as an artist.”
Sanchez, like many of other stars, also slammed the industry and fan demands for social media content to support a new release or tour.
The Until I Found You singer said he was done with being a “musical influencer.”
“It seems that an artist’s success relies heavily on this one thing: Being on social media everyday. Sharing every piece of themselves with the world. Doing something shocking in their look or their writing. Having things ‘go viral’ every waking second in order to have everyone ‘in your corner’ trust or even listen to your artistic vision,” he wrote.
“I’m so sick of that. I’m done with that. I’m going to make the art that I want to make and promote it in a way that feels restful for me.
“I will come back when I feel that I’ve create[d] that space for myself.”
Frontier Touring slapped a “cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances” notice on their website and venues hosting the tour with fans notified that their tickets, which started at $89.90, would be automatically refunded.
Originally published as Stephen Sanchez cancels Australian tour as he blasts ‘pornographic’ pop music