Keli Holiday Shares Her Experience of U.S. Entry Revocation and the Impact on Her New York Show
Keli Holiday Denied Re-Entry to the U.S. Amid North American Tour
Singer Keli Holiday faced an unexpected setback when he was denied re-entry into the United States during his North American tour. This development has forced the artist to cancel a planned performance in New York City and return home early.
The Australian musician and solo project of Adam Hyde from the electronic duo Peking Duk shared the news with his fans over the weekend. Following shows in Toronto, Holiday was detained at the U.S.-Canada border.
“Unfortunately I’m not going to make it to tonight’s show at Baby’s All Right in NYC,” Holiday posted on Instagram. “I have spent all day detained at the Canadian border and denied entry back into the U.S. despite having the proper visa documentation in place.” He later added, “I’m still trying to get clarity on the situation myself.”
Holiday was scheduled to perform a brief series of North American dates from May 1 to May 7, with the Brooklyn show intended to conclude the tour. A representative has since confirmed that he returned to Australia ahead of upcoming performances in New South Wales and Victoria.
This incident highlights growing concerns regarding U.S. border processing and visa scrutiny for international travelers, particularly touring artists. Proposed changes related to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) program have prompted discussions in Australia and New Zealand about potential stricter entry requirements and expanded screening measures.
Keli Holiday was launched in 2021 by Hyde as a more personal and indie-oriented counterpart to Peking Duk, which has established itself as a prominent electronic act in Australia. The duo gained fame with hits like “High” featuring Nicole Millar, which reached the top five on the ARIA Singles Chart and solidified their status in the 2010s.
Recently, Holiday’s second album, Capital Fiction, debuted at No. 3 on the ARIA Albums Chart, making him the highest-ranking homegrown artist on the chart. As a member of Peking Duk, he reached No. 12 with the 2018 album Reprisal.
The collection features the single “Dancing2,” which tells the story of Hyde’s relationship with Sydney media personality Abbie Chatfield. The track reached No. 2 on triple j’s Hottest 100 countdown for 2025 and won Best Video at the last year’s ARIA Awards, with Holiday performing it at the event.
Under the Keli Holiday name, Hyde has shifted towards a darker blend of indie-pop, dance, and alternative music, gaining a loyal following through club shows and festival performances. Following the cancellation of the New York show announcement, fans flooded his comments with messages of support, many urging him to reschedule the performance once the visa issue is resolved.
