After announcing their latest headliner Chris Brown there seems to have been a shift in the AfroNation saga.

If we look back to May of this year AfroNation were in the firing line over a refusal to process customer refunds for the cancelled 2020 event. In the midst of all this social media, Twitter in particular, was quick to jump to the much loved cancel culture approach and seemingly had boycotted AfroNation for their handling of things. But as with the vast majority of cancel culture movements on social media, all it took was a bit of time for the topic to die down and suddenly what was once a hill to die on vanished from conversations.

However, with the latest announcement of headliners from AfroNation the court of public opinion has AfroNation back on their minds, and there’s been a complete u-turn. Somehow, Chris Brown of all acts has become the saviour for AfroNation 2021. Granted Chris Brown is still not allowed to perform in the UK, but at least I was under the impression that the Chris Brown–Rihanna situation had him cancelled in a lot of peoples books. Clearly I was wrong, as since the announcement of Brown at the number one Afrobeats festival in the world’s 2021 offering people are ready to go crazy (pun intended).

People once battering the TL over refunds are now quietly making tweets saying they’re happy their refunds haven’t been processed. Others are rushing to purchase tickets to the 2021 festival, and the general consensus is that AfroNation is back in the good books of the public. Well mostly. A lot of new bookings are being made with refund protection but anyone who doesn’t at this stage is only asking for trouble. Regardless of that refund protection, all of that outrage and calls for AfroNation and it’s organisers needing to do better have been quelled.

So what does this mean for both AfroNation and potential festival goers? Well on AfroNation‘s side they are getting a much needed boost in public approval and support as well as reaping the benefits of having not refunded 2020’s tickets. On the consumer side, well the jury is out for now. At best we can say this is the perfect example of why cancel culture online doesn’t amount to anything tangible, the public is fickle after all. At worst consumers are going to suffer a similar fate to May of this year as guidelines on festival size gatherings haven’t improved much so these lineup announcements may be all people get.

Hopefully not though, hopefully AfroNation 2021 will proceed as planned and everyone will get the experience they were hoping to get this year. AfroNation had such an incredible impact culturally that to have it go out badly after such an amazing first year would be a real shame. For those hoping to relive the enjoyment of 2019s edition of the festival keep your fingers crossed that there are no more complications, as if we’re looking solely at the lineup and increased ticket prices you can expect a step up in experience at AfroNation 2021.

Will you be going to AfroNation 2021? Did you get a refund on your 2020 tickets? Let us know by tagging @GUAPMAG in your replies. For those that are still interested in getting tickets for 2021s festival, you can sign up for priority access to pre-sale tickets here.