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Katy Perry's highly-anticipated return to Belgium was cut short after her headline set at Werchter Boutique was canceled just hours before she was due on stage.
The pop star revealed she was already backstage in hair and makeup when organizers delivered the news. Severe thunderstorms and safety concerns for the 55,000-strong crowd led local authorities and the festival's safety committee to shut things down early.
"Sadly my set @WerchterBoutique tonight can't happen due to a government-mandated cancellation because of the incoming inclement weather and crowd safety concerns," she wrote on Instagram. "They gave me no choice. I am just as unhappy as you are."
Perry admitted she was devastated, especially since she had planned to recreate her iconic 2009 Werchter look as a nod to her last appearance there. "I was even gonna wear the same outfit from that 2009 show again," she added.
The singer apologized to fans, stressing that safety had to come first. "Unfortunately this is beyond my control, but the safety of all 55,000 of you always comes first and foremost. I am sorry I can't change the weather, and even sorrier that all of us can't be together tonight. I love you all, and please get home safe."
Festival organizers echoed her message, saying the early closure was to ensure everyone could leave "in a safe and orderly manner" before the storms hit.
Perry had been scheduled to close the one-day festival after Pitbull's set, performing hits like Firework, Teenage Dream, and Roar. Instead, she shared a candid photo in pajamas and a robe, cigarette in hand, showing fans the outfit she would have worn on stage.
Her next stop is Cardiff Castle in the UK, where she's set to perform at Depot Live this week.
