MUNA Guitarist Naomi McPherson to Miss Opening Tour Dates to Be with Mother Battling Terminal Cancer
MUNA has confirmed that member Naomi McPherson will miss the opening shows of the "Gets So Hot" tour to stay home with her mother, Harriet, who is battling terminal cancer, with Lou Roy stepping in to fill in.
The tour posters had already been printed with the city lineup — Phoenix, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, Atlanta — but the band lineup quietly changed just a day before the shows kicked off. MUNA announced that Naomi McPherson, who handles guitar, synths, and vocals, will be missing the first few dates of the "Gets So Hot" tour, as her mother Harriet is battling an extremely aggressive terminal cancer that has rapidly worsened over the past few weeks.
In a statement, the band wrote, "It's heavy to share what the MUNA family is going through, and the adjustments we've had to make to the start of the tour." They noted that the timing of Harriet's passing coincides with the start of the tour, so Naomi will be spending this time at home with her mother during her final days, and will stay behind afterward to handle everything that follows.
The tour was originally set to kick off in Phoenix on September 17 (US time), followed by stops in Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, Atlanta, Boston, and Santa Barbara. MUNA said Naomi is expected to return for the first time at the Philadelphia show on September 25, though they noted the schedule may still change and updates will follow. Lou Roy will be filling in for the Phoenix, Dallas, Austin, Nashville, and Atlanta shows.
"One thing Naomi cares about deeply is that the shows go on as planned, whether she's there or not," the band wrote, adding that when Naomi returns to the tour, she'll carry with her the belief that watching her play music was one of the things that brought her mother Harriet the most joy and pride. The band described Harriet's impact on the whole team as "impossible to put into words," calling her "one of the wisest, warmest people," and thanked her for raising a child like Naomi.
MUNA admitted this is one of the hardest things the band has ever been through, but also expressed gratitude for the family they've found in their band, crew, and fans. Hemlocke Springs will open on the tour, and after wrapping up US dates, MUNA will head to Dublin, Glasgow, and London in November, followed by European stops including Paris, Warsaw, and Berlin. The tour celebrates the band's fourth studio album, "Dancing On The Wall," following up on their 2022 self-titled release. NME previously gave the album three and a half stars, describing the trio's work as "joyful pop bangers with a shadow side."
