Loyle Carner pulls out of BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge performance

The rapper was allegedly told none of his chosen covers were 'big enough hits'

Loyle Carner performs at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire, London (Rex/Shutterstock)

Loyle Carner has pulled out of a scheduled appearance on BBC Radio 1 after allegedly being told none of his chosen covers were “big enough hits”.

The Yesterday’s Gone rapper was due to appear on the show at 12 pm on Thursday (15 February) but cancelled ahead of the broadcast.

“Sadly I won’t be in the Live Lounge today,” Carner wrote on Twitter. “Even though I wrote three covers.”

The songs he wanted to play were Kendrick Lamar’s “Feel” (from the chart-topping album DAMN.), Kanye West’s “30 Hours”, and a track from the Fugees classic album The Score. “I was told none of them were ‘big enough hits’,” Carner concluded on Twitter.

Radio 1 has released a statement reading: “This is a special Brits Live Lounge week and we have worked very closely with the Brits Breakthrough acts on selecting a cover track by a Brit Award winning artist which is familiar to a daytime Radio 1 audience.” Carner has also been contacted for comment.

Meanwhile, Carner has been nominated for British Breakthrough Act and British Male Solo Artist at this year’s Brit awards. The ceremony takes place on the 21 February 2018.

Carner’s album Yesterday’s Gone was named The Independent’s album of 2017.