British musician Yungblud has withdrawn from Calgary's Cowboys Music Festival, with the event announcing that his management had pulled him from the line-up. The move follows an emotionally charged period for the singer, who has been publicly grappling with persistent "industry plant" accusations, and it matters as a visible instance of a high-profile artist prioritising his mental health over touring commitments.

Much of the criticism has come from former collaborator Machine Gun Kelly, who mocked Yungblud's privileged, major-label background in a recent track and in pointed online comments. Last month Yungblud broke down onstage at his own Bludfest festival in Czechia, and a subsequent Instagram post about the "hate and disbelief" directed at him drew support from figures including SZA and Anthrax's Scott Ian. In his statement on the festival withdrawal, he said he was taking time off at home in the UK to work on himself, though he still has US dates ahead, including Lollapalooza.