Twenty-three year-old singer Summer Walker has recently come under fire for canceling more than 20 tour dates for her First and Last Tour. The news was delivered last week via an Instagram post by the Atlanta native, claiming she would no longer be able to handle the pressures of the tour with her social anxiety.
“That transference of energy with so many people would literally kill me,” Walker said in her video.
Many fans stormed to Instagram, some to vow support for Walker while there were many negative comments on how unfair it was to the people who paid their hard-earned money for tickets and made plans to attend her show. A group of people even questioned whether she actually has social anxiety, as many brought up her brief stint as an exotic dancer.
“It helps you get out of your shell. It is fun,” the singer commented on her past as a stripper to Kieran Yates of The Face online.
Walker had all eyes on her during the 2019 Soul Train Awards from the moment she arrived on the red carpet, with a picture of her making the rounds on the internet and many taking note of how uncomfortable she appeared. Fans went on to create memes of the artist, comparing her to a soldier standing at attention and a rocket blasting off.
Walker gave what most are calling the shortest acceptance speech while receiving best new artist award. The speech lasted a total of 16 seconds, and ended abruptly with Walker leaving the stage.
Fans continued to roar on the internet with more dissatisfied comments over the artist’s behavior.
Walker quickly addressed the comments on Instagram with a caption of a picture of herself with Wale and Ari Lenox that read, “I wasn’t even going to go today cause I was scared, I was literally asking @Ivrngram to just get me a wrist band so I could sit in the back alone in my reg deg clothes.”
She went on to say “By the time my name was called I couldn’t get a speech out like everyone else from being so nervous and was shaking BUT pushed through my #SocialAnxiety toady and I’m glad I did.”
In a later post Walker called out women who have children who are calling her social anxiety an act can just as easily overlook the mental suffering of their own children as they are with her.
Summer Walker’s situation opens up a larger discussion on mental health, on how it may look differently on everyone. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), approximately 15 million American suffer from the effects of social anxiety and that symptoms can manifest themselves differently for everyone. Mental health is a serious topic and should be taken seriously when someone speaks up to their own suffering. Just listening can be a huge help.