Tiësto Pulls Out of Super Bowl Performance Due to ‘Family Emergency’

UPDATED: Just three days before Super Bowl LVIII, veteran DJ Tiesto has pulled out of his slot as the show’s official DJ due to a “personal family emergency,” he announced over social media on Thursday.

“Me and my team have been preparing something truly special for months, but a personal family emergency is forcing me to return home Sunday morning,” Tiesto wrote. “It was a tough decision to miss the game, but family always comes first. Thank you to the @NFL for the collaboration and looking forward to working with them to deliver something incredible together in the future !”

More from Variety

• Super Bowl DJ Tiësto Talks Spinning the Big Game: '200 Million People Watching? Yeah, That's a Bit of Pressure'

• Tiesto's 'White Lotus' Theme-Song Remix Brought the Series to the Dance Floor

• Tiesto, Fitz & the Tantrums to Perform Livestreamed Concerts - With Small Live Audience - From Red Rocks

A rep for the NFL tells Variety there is a plan to replace him, although no further details were immediately available in the hours after Tiesto’s announcement.

The Super Bowl has had a guest “in-game” DJ during the pregame during players’ warmups, beginning with DJ Khaled in Miami and continuing with D-Nice in Tampa Bay, Zedd in Los Angeles and DJ Snake in Phoenix. But this year was to be the first time a DJ played the full game, spinning during featured breaks within the game, some of which would be televised on CBS.

Just days ago, Tiesto spoke with Variety about how he was feeling about performing during the game, and what he had in mind. “Two hundred million people watching? Yeah, that’s a bit of pressure,” he admitted. “But I’m more excited than anything else. A lot of people who have never heard of Tiësto will know about me.”

As for the music he was planning to cue up, Tiësto was leaning into the Beastie Boys’ “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party),” which has become Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end and Taylor Swift’s beau, Travis Kelce’s theme song. “I’ll use the tempo of that song in a track angled toward the Super Bowl, but still doing my own thing,” he says. “I might have to do something with Taylor Swift as well.”

Over the course of his three decades-plus career, the Netherlands-born Tiesto has maintained a top position within electronic dance music. Since joining the Atlantic Records roster in 2020, he has leveled up with high profile collaborations, among them, Karol G. Tate McRae, Ava Max and Ty Dolla $ign, as well Tears for Fears and Heidi Klum. Tiësto’s remix of “The White Lotus” theme song, “Renaissance” is the only official one of the popular series

Best of Variety

• New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 

• Oscars: Best Actress - Lily Gladstone and Emma Stone In a Race Too Close to Call, With Third Party Candidates Brewing

• Oscars: Best Actor - Paul Giamatti Leads the Race, but Keep Close Eye on SAG to Determine Ultimate Victor

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.