Brisbane snubbed again? Drake says we weren’t in God’s Plan

Brisbane music fans have been dealt another blow, with megastar Drake set to bypass the city on his first tour to Australia in eight years.

Brisbane fans of global superstar Drake are feeling left out in the cold after the Canadian rapper announced an Australian tour — with no mention of a stop in the River City.

During a recent livestream on the platform Kick with streamer xQc, the 38-year-old Grammy winner thrilled fans by revealing his return Down Under after an eight-year hiatus.

“February 9th for anybody that’s watching from Australia, I’m coming back to Australia for the first time in eight years. Coming back to Australia on tour,” Drake announced.

He confirmed the tour would run from February 9 to March, listing Melbourne, Sydney, and the Gold Coast as destinations.

But the absence of Brisbane from that list has left locals wondering if they’ve been overlooked.

Drake looks to have snubbed Brisbane. (Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)

This omission is particularly surprising given Drake’s glowing praise for Brisbane during his last visit in November 2017, as part of his Boy Meets World Tour.

“I’ve had some of the best times in my life in Australia,” he told the crowd as he performed at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

“I’m staying in Brisbane for the next four days because it’s one of my favourite places. Everyone here is genuine, no ego. They look you in the eyes, they show you love.”

He went on to say, “I’m thankful in my lifetime I was able to travel from my aunt’s basement where I used to write songs to Brisbane, Australia. At a time when everyone tells you the world is falling apart, wherever I go I’ll let them know they’ve got it figured out in Brisbane. I’ll be coming back here for the rest of my life.”

Given such heartfelt declarations, many are puzzled by Brisbane’s absence from his tour schedule.

Drake will be going to the Gold Coast.

However, industry experts have speculated the snub might not be intentional, but due to scheduling conflicts, as the city’s major venues are heavily booked during the February-March period.

The Brisbane Entertainment Centre is already hosting international acts like Bryan Adams on February 13, Billie Eilish from February 18 to 22, Kylie Minogue on February 26 and 27, Chris Stapleton on February 28 and March 1, Cigarettes After Sex on March 17, and Falling in Reverse on March 18.

Cyndi Lauper is also set to perform in early April.

Suncorp Stadium’s calendar is equally packed, featuring AEW, A-League, Super Rugby, and NRL events every weekend between February 15 and April 12. Riverstage is also booked solid, with nine concerts scheduled between February 16 and March 21, including performances by The Corrs, Six60, and Kehlani.

While Drake’s announcement isn’t an official tour confirmation — final dates and locations have yet to be revealed — it’s unclear whether the listed cities are the only stops.

For now, Brisbanites may need to consider a road trip to Sydney or the Gold Coast to catch the Hotline Bling star in action.

Drake’s move comes after industry insiders said Queensland needs an urgent shake-up of its concert strategies as international acts continued to boycott the state due to “out-of-date” events policies.