BABYMETAL’s Yuimetal strangely absent from first show of US tour

May 10, 2018

BABYMETAL kicked off a much-anticipated U.S. tour last night in Kansas City, Missouri, but concertgoers at the Uptown Theater noticed something strange in the Japanese kawaii metal band’s performance: the unannounced absence of BABYMETAL member Yuimetal.

As reported by Loudwire, BABYMETAL vocalists Su-metal and Moametal were joined onstage by two backup dancers in place of fellow founding member Yuimetal, and no reason was given for the singer’s absence. Now, fans are wondering if Yuimetal is still a member of BABYMETAL.

According to Nikkan Sports, “Yuimetal” and “Yui chan” are currently trending on Twitter in Japan. The BABYMETAL subreddit has listeners theorizing as to Yuimetal’s whereabouts, with many noting that the new design of the band’s official website—as well as the recent music video for new single “Distortion”—seemingly obfuscates the prominence of the three original BABYMETAL singers. See some fan reactions to Yuimetal’s absence below.

Last December, Yuimetal sat out two BABYMETAL shows at Hiroshima, Japan’s Green Arena due to a reported illness. At the time, the group released a statement saying that Yuimetal preferred to not cancel the show, even though she was unable to perform:

“As an entire team, we considered canceling this performance,” the band’s management said. “However, it was Yuimetal's strong desire to not cancel this performance for the fans who were waiting and looking forward to these performances.”

BABYMETAL’s performance in Kansas City on Tuesday reportedly consisted of a 10-song set with no encore, and the group are scheduled to play in Austin, Texas, tomorrow night, May 10. Watch the band’s performance of “Distortion” from the Kansas City concert below.

We’ve reached out to BABYMETAL’s representatives for details on the situation and will update this article with any new information.

Awesome show ! New songs. New outfits. Additional dancers… But where is #YuiMetal ? #BABYMETAL pic.twitter.com/1iLk0qNffE

— MetalJohn (@metaljohnradio) May 9, 2018

I just hope Yui is okay. Her health is far more important than her status in the band. I am trying not to jump to any conclusions yet, but I do think we should have been informed beforehand. To not even acknowledge her is unfair…#BABYMETAL #Yuimetal #ゆいちゃん #WheresYui

— Seishuku (@SeishukuKumori) May 9, 2018

I no longer intend to follow a band that pretends nothing and jokes with the feelings of their fans, until I have real news, I will stop my business here!#BABYMETAL #YUIMETAL

— Babymetal Italy (@babymetal_italy) May 9, 2018

Just saw a fan cam of Babymetal performing Karate. There was no fan interaction during the break like we are use to seeing at live shows. No sing along with Su. They just hurried through it. @BABYMETAL_JAPAN #whereisyui #yuimetal

— jmojellybeans (@jmojellybeans) May 9, 2018

I think it's worth considering that this was their attempt at communicating that the full lineup wasn't revealed tonight. Maybe it's worth waiting to see what 5/10 brings before accusing them of playing us? I'm holding out hope for Yui #BABYMETAL #whereisyui #YUIMETAL #ゆいちゃん pic.twitter.com/eMZHmHUgrU

— John Ward (@zombieturtle) May 9, 2018