Rapper Ice Spice faced backlash at Australia’s Wildlands Festival on New Year’s Eve after showing up nearly 30 minutes behind schedule and delivering a truncated set, leaving fans frustrated and underwhelmed.
The Bronx native hit the stage in Brisbane at 10:55 p.m., missing most of her allotted 10:30–11:00 p.m. slot.
With time running out due to the festival’s tight curfews, she managed to perform just two tracks, “Deli” and “Princess Diana,” before her microphone was reportedly cut mid-performance of “In Ha Mood” at 11:01 p.m., making for an abrupt and unceremonious exit.
Witnesses described the atmosphere as tense, with fans visibly disappointed by the short-lived set.
Podcaster Brenton Larney alleged that Ice Spice appeared unfazed by the debacle, noting her laughter as she stepped off the stage and seemingly dismissing a fan’s gesture of presenting her with a bouquet of flowers.
The rapper turned 25 on January 1 and later addressed the controversy during her next stop at the festival’s leg in Perth.
Acknowledging the issue, she spoke directly to her fans.
“I’m sorry guys. Surely y’all can forgive me,” she was quoted as saying. She added, “It was my birthday, and it takes a long time to look like a Barbie.”
The audience’s mood reportedly lightened as she kicked off her performance with “Barbie World,” her track with Nicki Minaj.
Organizers of Wildlands Festival eventually broke their silence, explaining the difficult decision to cut Ice Spice’s performance short.
In an Instagram statement, they cited the event’s rigid schedule as a necessity to ensure the midnight New Year’s countdown act started on time.
“We understand that Ice Spice’s delayed arrival caused some disappointment,” their statement read. “Managing a stacked festival means that we have to be extremely firm with set times.”