Singer Grimes Cancels Pride Show Amid Parenting Dispute With Elon Musk, Cites Family Crisis

Canadian musician Grimes, known offstage as Claire Boucher, has withdrawn from her scheduled performance at the World Pride Festival in Washington D.C., citing “family issues” as the reason for the last-minute cancellation. The 37-year-old artist announced the news via a heartfelt post on X — the platform owned by her ex-partner, billionaire Elon Musk.

Grimes was set to perform alongside major stars like Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, RuPaul, Rita Ora, and Kim Petras, making her sudden exit all the more concerning for fans. The decision comes amid a prolonged and highly public custody battle with Musk over their three children: X Æ A-12, Exa Dark Sideræl, and Techno Mechanicus..

“I am so, so sorry and regretful to say I have to cancel my pride show in order to deal with family issues,” she wrote.

Grimes (Claire Boucher) and Elon Musk have been embroiled in a cross-state custody dispute over their three shared children, with the musician filing for parental rights in California in 2023, while Musk countersued in Texas—home to his corporate empire, including Tesla and SpaceX.

Sources confirm that the Texas portion of the case has been resolved, though the terms remain confidential under a sealed settlement. However, the California litigation appears ongoing.

In a deeply personal revelation, Grimes disclosed that during the dispute, her children were allegedly prevented from visiting her terminally ill mother—an emotional layer to an already fraught legal battle.

“Motherhood 100% THE MOST NOBLE task,” she wrote on May 10. “Having kids is the most selfless decision, an investment in all of us.”

And yet, despite her emotional transparency and fight for her family, Grimes now faces criticism for canceling a show that meant a lot to fans.

To them, she says: “I’ll make this up to you very soon.”

For now, the artist is choosing family over the stage  and the world is watching to see what happens next in this very human saga involving one of the world’s most controversial billionaires.