Australian musician Keli Holiday, known both for his solo work and as part of the electronic duo Peking Duk, was forced to cut short his tour after being denied entry into the United States.
He revealed on social media that he had been detained at the Canadian border while attempting to return to New York for a scheduled performance, despite having the correct visa documentation.
Holiday had already played shows in Los Angeles and Toronto before the incident, which ultimately led him to return to Australia, according to his representatives.
The situation drew further attention when Holiday’s girlfriend, Abbie Chatfield, issued an apology for a controversial social media post she had made in 2025 about then-President Donald Trump.
Chatfield explained that the video, which referenced Luigi Mangione the man accused of killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was intended as a poorly executed joke.
She clarified that her comments were not a serious call to action and emphasized her opposition to political violence, acknowledging that the post was in “extremely poor taste” and should never have been shared.
Holiday’s case comes amid heightened scrutiny of social media activity by U.S. authorities, who now require foreign visitors to disclose their online handles from the past five years.
Other public figures have faced similar challenges, including comedian Dom Joly, who speculated that his anti-Trump posts led to his own denial of entry, and actor Motaz Malhees, who was refused a visa to attend the Academy Awards due to his Palestinian citizenship.
These incidents highlight growing concerns among international performers about the unpredictability of U.S. border policies.
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