Enter Shikari ProfileEnglish rockers Enter Shikari have shared an upsetting, transparent message with fans, revealing they’ll go on an indefinite hiatus at the end of 2027.
Last week, frontman Rou Reynolds posted a video on social media where he explained that he’d been offline for much of this year after suffering burnout, which transformed into experiencing OCD and nervous system sensitisation.
In the video, he also told fans that he and his bandmates – Chris Batten, Rob Rolfe, and Rory Clewlow – had been discussing their future. Now, the band have confirmed that “As of December 31st 2027, Enter Shikari will fall dormant as a recording and performing entity.”
They noted that said dormancy may end eventually “with an eruption back into activity, or may end with extinction. We have no idea which.”
“For the past two decades, we’ve run amok in a cultural landscape that elevates easily-pigeonholed art, so being an ‘Enter Shikari’ hasn’t always been easy, professionally or personally, with obvious negative impact on one’s mental health when tasked with ‘coming up with the goods,’” they wrote.
But Enter Shikari has existed for over two decades because the band “love” what they do. “And we are lucky enough to have built an audience who understand that the less-trodden path is sometimes the more interesting journey,” they continued.
“However, it gets to the point where the often difficult terrain of that path starts to frazzle and drain the humble traveller.
“We are far from being the same kids who recorded that debut album, and as much as we love what we do, and still love being in each other’s company, as humans our priorities and capacities have changed.”
The band noted that even before Reynolds disclosed his recent illness, they’d had “difficult conversations” about what would happen over the next few years.
“The pressures of the modern music industry, as well as our outside responsibilities and ambitions, had begun to urge change. To then see a friend in trouble made those conversations more pertinent,” they explained.
“While we don’t think we’re ‘splitting up’, we do not have a diary that extends beyond 2027.”
The band added that they’re “genuinely excited” to celebrate their many achievements next year. “But after that it’ll be time to go away for a good while and see what being Rou, Rob, Rory and Chris, and not ‘Enter Shikari’, feels like,” they continued.
“Maybe we’ll be like Fugazi and just get together to rehearse for fun, without feeling the need to make anyone else listen to it? All we really know is, after two decades of being a ‘professional’ band, not having plans three years in advance is liberating.”
As for what the rest of 2026 holds, Enter Shikari will embark on a tour across the UK and Europe, including arena shows. “If that ends up being the last time some people see us, we want to make it special,” they wrote.
“As Rou mentioned, we’ve also been working on some bits of new music, which you should get to hear sooner rather than later, along with another thing we’ve just finished filming.”
And 2027? So far, the band has some mainland European and North American festivals pencilled in for next year. They will soon announce a couple of shows in Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee in January.
Their statement continued, “If we were better at making the most of things and planning ahead, this whole message would be the precursor to announcing a “farewell” world tour, but.. yeah.. there’s no world tour.
“We’ll hopefully get to play some of our favourite places “one last time” but we’re not sure how feasible that is yet.”
To make matters more interesting, 2027 marks the 20th anniversary of the band’s debut album, Take to the Skies, as well as the tenth anniversary of their fifth album, The Spark, and the 15th anniversary of their third album, A Flash Flood of Colour.
“You wait for one anniversary and three come along at once,” the band quipped, but right now, they don’t know what anniversary celebrations for each album will look like.
Their statement concluded, “So… it’s not the sort of statement we thought we’d be making if you’d asked us a year ago, but we felt it was time to let you know our headspace.
“We really hope we’ll be seeing you over the next fourteen months or so, somehow. But, if not, all that remains to be said is thank you for your support, your sweat, your passion, your energy.
“Solidarity, Rob, Chris, Rory, Rou.”
Enter Shikari last toured Australia in May, bringing their latest album – a surprise album, no less – Lose Your Self, to our shores.
“We’re delighted to present LOSE YOUR SELF and give people the chance to hear a Shikari record like never before - as a cohesive whole,” Reynolds said upon the release of the album in April. “We want people to go on a proper journey with this album and see where it takes them.”
He continued, “No lead-up, no singles, and no explanation. Forcing the listener to actually listen, without being drip-fed ideas out of context, or spoon-fed explanations. We simply present it all, for the listener to immerse themself in.
“Releasing in this way was also a decision to not be distracted by chart races, or accolades and ‘things.’ We got the No.1 album on our last record. This is simply about the music being presented in a natural way.”
