Petit Biscuit Cancels Australia and Indonesia Tour Over Mental Health

Producer cites worsening panic attacks and physical strain

Petit Biscuit has canceled his upcoming tour of Australia and Indonesia, citing a decline in his mental health that he said has left him unable to manage the physical toll of touring. The French producer, whose real name is Mehdi Benjelloun, wrote that he had been struggling with panic attacks that have worsened in recent years and that his body now feels perpetually tense.

Benjelloun said he had kept the difficulty private but felt he owed fans and partners an honest explanation for the cancellation. He wrote that the highs have become harder to enjoy and the lows increasingly difficult to manage, despite his gratitude for being able to make a living from music.

Part of a broader conversation on touring demands

Petit Biscuit rose to prominence as a 15-year-old after releasing his breakout single Sunset Lover in 2015, which helped establish him as one of the brightest artists in the global electronic music scene. He most recently released the Movement II EP.

His statement arrives as more artists speak openly about the strain that grueling performance schedules can place on their mental health, a conversation that accelerated in the wake of Avicii's tragic death by suicide in 2018. Several prominent acts have canceled or postponed tour dates for similar reasons in the past few years, pointing to burnout and anxiety brought on by the demands of life on the road.

Return to performing remains uncertain

Benjelloun said that after talking it through with the people around him, he realized he needed to listen to what his mind and body were telling him. As much as he was looking forward to being back in Australia, long-haul touring is not something he can take on right now.

It remains unclear when Petit Biscuit plans to return to performing.