Singer David Kushner cancels gig after mental health struggles

David Kushner has cancelled his gig in Manchester later saying the ”past week has been challenging”.

On Friday night, the 24-year-old broke down in tears on stage in Newcastle, telling fans he’s ”dealing with a lot of anxiety” before announcing the show was being cut short.

The Daylight singer, from Chicago, has brought his tour to the UK and has additional dates scheduled for Birmingham, Bristol and London.

He says everyone who has planned to see him in Manchester will get a refund.

“It truly breaks my heart to miss this night with you,” David wrote on Instagram, adding he was “so sorry for the disappointment”.

He says he’s “working to get better and hoping to be back on stage on Birmingham” on 11 March.

Before ending his show early on Friday, he told the crowd: ”I’m not doing OK mentally”.

“And I’m so sorry. I’m dealing with a lot of anxiety, so I’m so sorry I can’t continue this show.

“I’m not doing as well as I thought.”

Since then, some fans have been posting messages of support with one saying David’s openness “is enough to tell you what kind of person he is”.

Charity Anxiety UK has told Newsbeat the singer is brave for opening up about his struggles and can help raise awareness.

”It’s testimony to him that he’s done so that he can help other people understand how debilitating it can be,” says spokesperson David Smithson.

The NHS describes anxiety as “a feeling of fear or unease”, which can cause many different symptoms.

That might include how you feel physically, mentally and how you behave.

In 2021/22, 34% of young people aged 18 to 24 reported symptoms of a mental disorder, such as depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder.

In 2000, that figure stood at 24%.

The NHS says talking to a therapist or counsellor, doing breathing exercises and getting regular exercise are some of the ways you can manage your symptoms.

David Kushner, who has nearly 16 million monthly listeners on Spotify, shot to fame when his song Miserable Man went viral on TikTok in 2022.

He followed up with 2023 hit Daylight, which currently has 1.4 billion streams on Spotify. The song peaked at number 2 on the UK singles charts and reached the top spot in a number of countries across the globe.

Since then, he has performed on Radio 1’s Live Lounge and at stadiums across the world.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here.