Florence + The Machine’s Florence Welch underwent ‘life-saving’ surgery

The band had pulled out of two European festivals

Author: Paul TraversPublished 29th Aug 2023

Florence Welch has revealed that she has undergone ‘emergency surgery’ that ‘saved her life’ after Florence + The Machine cancelled performances at the Zurich Openair and Rock en Seine festivals.

The singer has not provided further details of the surgery at this point, saying she doesn’t ‘feel strong enough’ to go into it yet.

Posting on Instagram on Sunday, Welch wrote: "I'm so sorry that I had to cancel the last couple of shows. My feet are fine, I had to have emergency surgery for reasons I don't really feel strong enough to go into yet, but it saved my life.”

She said she would be back "to close out the Dance Fever tour in Lisbon and Malaga", (on 1st and 2nd September) adding: "Maybe not jumping so much but you can do that for me."

She concluded: "Suffice to say I wish the songs were less accurate in their predictions.

“But creativity is a way of coping, mythology is way of making sense. And the dark fairytale of Dance Fever, with all its strange prophecies, will provide me with much-needed strength and catharsis right now."

Watch: Florence + the Machine - 'Free'

The band were forced to postpone dates in November 2022 after Welch performed on a broken foot.

She said at the time: “I’m so sorry to say that after an X-ray it seems I was dancing on a broken foot last night.

“It is not in my nature to postpone a show, and certainly not a UK tour, but I’m in pain and, as dancers know, dancing on an injury is not a good idea. And have been told not to perform to avoid further damage.”

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