Pharrell Williams has postponed this year’s Something In The Water festival to 2025 after being originally scheduled for October.
In a statement issued on the festival’s Instagram account yesterday (September 13), Pharrell addressed his fans in Virginia, including ticketholders who planned to travel all the way to the US state for the event.
“Virginia doesn’t deserve better, Virginia deserves THE BEST. So Something In The Water has to match that,” he writes. “It just isn’t ready yet. That’s why we as a team have decided we must postpone this year’s Something In The Water festival that was due to take place in October.”
“This is not a Pharrell festival, this is the state of Virginia’s festival so it has to be the best,” he continues. “Virginia made me, and I want to honor it with as much love as it’s shown me my entire life.”
Ticketholders who purchased their passes via debit or credit card will be automatically refunded. According to the statement, these people will also receive first access to tickets once its 2025 dates are confirmed.
“I am so grateful to our amazing sponsors and the city for their continued support and trust in us to get this right, and that time is April 2025,” he concludes. “This has to be EPIC, and trust me, after this long wait, it will be.” A line-up had yet to be revealed by the time tickets were released earlier this year.
The festival held its 2023 edition in April that year at Virginia Beach, with headline sets from Mumford & Sons among others. After the first two days of the event were delayed due to bad weather conditions, Sunday’s proceedings – which were set to include Grace Jones, Clipse, 100 Gecs and more – were then postponed.
“Next year we will shift the dates because this rain ain’t playing, but we will be! Next year, more acts, more merch, more food… just more!” Pharrell wrote in reference to the now-cancelled 2024 edition.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Pharrell and his Neptunes bandmate Chad Hugo aren’t on speaking terms, the musician has revealed.
Pharrell said of his relationship with Hugo to The Hollywood Reporter: “I always wish him the absolute best.” Williams was then pressed further on the topic, being asked if they were still on speaking times. He replied: “No. But I love him, and I always wish him the absolute best, and I’m very grateful for our time together.”
After more than 30 years of working together, the pair are no longer on talking terms after Hugo filed a lawsuit against Williams earlier this year, with Hugo accusing Williams of “fraudulently” seeking sole control over the Neptunes trademarks without consulting him.