Colombia Lollapalooza festival cancelled after Rihanna reportedly pulls out over Zika virus fears

The Zika virus has been linked to birth defects and a rare nerve disorder

Trust Rihanna to make it rain just in time for a mass sing-a-long of 'Umbrella' (Getty Images)

Colombia’s first Lollapalooza festival has been cancelled after Rihanna reportedly dropped out over Zika virus fears.

An unannounced singer was scheduled to perform at the South American event alongside Lana Del Rey, Disclosure and Wiz Khalifa, but pulled out at the last minute leaving organisers no time to find a replacement.

The festival shared the disappointing news on Sunday but did not mention which act was behind the decision. Local Colombian sources, notably RCN Radio and La Tercera, are reporting Rihanna’s name but she is yet to comment on the speculation. The Independent is awaiting a response from her representatives.

Lollapalooza Colombia issued the following statement (written in Spanish) to ticket-holders: “Following the cancellation of the headliner hours before the announcement of the line-up, leading to major difficulties in finding a suitable replacement, festival organisers have been forced to cancel the first Lollapalooza Colombia.

“The organisers wish to express their deep appreciation to all the fans who supported the festival since day one, as well as the sponsors and media partners. We hope to return in the future to realise this first edition of Lollapalooza in the country.”

Lollapalooza began as a touring event in 1991 before settling in Chicago in 2005 and expanding outside of the US in 2010. Festivals are now held in Chile, Argentina, Germany and Brazil. Ticket-holders for the Colombia festival, scheduled for 17-18 September in Bogota, will be offered refunds.

The Zika virus has sparked concern around the world, with Colombia the second most-affected country after Brazil according to Time magazine’s statistics. The illness has been linked to birth defects in unborn children and can cause the rare nerve disorder Giullain-Barre syndrome. The NHS states that it is spread primarily by mosquitoes and is only a “mild” infection in most people.