Naomi McPherson, guitarist, synth player, and vocalist for the Los Angeles pop trio MUNA, will miss the opening dates of the band's North American tour to remain at home with their mother, Harriet, who is in the final stages of an aggressive terminal cancer. The band announced the news in a statement, explaining that Harriet's condition has worsened rapidly over recent weeks and that her passing is expected to coincide with the start of the tour.
The «Gets So Hot» tour is scheduled to begin Thursday night in Phoenix, with subsequent stops in Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, Atlanta, Boston, and Santa Barbara, among others. McPherson will not appear at the first several shows. In their statement, the band said McPherson has been at home for their mother's final days and will stay behind after the group departs to handle her affairs following her passing.
MUNA said they expect McPherson's first show back to be the Philadelphia date on September 25, though they noted they will update if that changes. «It was important to Naomi that the shows happen with or without them, and so plans have been in the works to ensure this,» the band wrote. Singer-songwriter Lou Roy will step in to perform at the shows in Phoenix, Dallas, Austin, Nashville, and Atlanta.
The band described the situation as «one of the hardest things we've gone through as a band,» adding that they are heartbroken and full of despair. They also expressed gratitude for Harriet's influence, writing that it is impossible to overstate the impact she has had on the band and on their hearts and souls. «She is simply one of the greatest, most wise and loving people,» they said, «and we are enraged and full of despair that she is being taken from us.»
McPherson, who uses they/them pronouns, has been a central creative force in MUNA since the group formed in 2013. The band's current tour supports their fourth studio album, «Dancing On The Wall,» the follow-up to their 2022 self-titled record. The album was described in a three-and-a-half-star review as euphoric pop bangers with a shadowy side, a sound that has helped MUNA build a dedicated following.
The North American leg features support from Hemlocke Springs. After the U.S. dates, MUNA will head to Europe in November for shows in Dublin, Glasgow, London, and other cities, before wrapping up with dates in Paris, Warsaw, Berlin, and beyond. The band said they are feeling lucky to have the support of their crew and fans during this period.
McPherson's decision to prioritize family over the opening stretch of a headline tour reflects a familiar tension for working musicians, who often face pressure to keep performing even as personal crises unfold. In their statement, MUNA framed the choice as one McPherson made deliberately, with the band's full backing. «When Naomi inevitably returns to the tour, they will do so with the knowledge that watching them play music is what filled Harriet with the most joy and pride,» the band wrote.
The tour is scheduled to continue through the fall, with McPherson expected back on stage in Philadelphia if circumstances allow. MUNA said they will share further updates if the timeline changes.