Angry fans vent their frustration at Ariana Grande's last-minute cancellation in Saigon

U.S. pop star Ariana Grande was supposed to be performing for her fans in Vietnam on Tuesday night in Saigon, but the show was canceled just hours before she scheduled to take the stage due to an “illness”.

The American pop princess, 23, took to Instagram yesterday afternoon, saying she was “dealing with some health problems at the moment” and her that her doctor would not allow her to do the show.

Her fans have naturally been expressing their disappointment at the last-minute news, and some only found out when they arrived at the venue, while others said they learned the news from local media and were completely confused.

It was not until several hours after Grande’s Instagram post that the organizers of the show officially confirmed the cancellation.

Fans wait outside the venue where Ariana Grande was supposed to perform in Ho Chi Minh City on August 23. Photo by VnExpress

Anh Dao, who flew from Hanoi to HCMC for the show, said: “Is this a joke? Now I’m already in Saigon, what should I do? I want an explanation and an apology from the organizers.”

Dao is one of many fans who rearranged their schedules and spent money on tickets for the show, flights and hotel bookings.

Quang Huy from HCMC said it is not unusual for A-list singers to cancel their tours because they have a busy schedule which requires them to perform and move from place to place in just one or two days.

“But announcing the cancellation by a post on Instagram means Grande has no respect for Vietnamese fans," Huy said. "I spent quite a lot of money on a ticket for her show, and had to agree to follow a list of security regulations to watch her performance. There is no reason for me to be treated like this.”

Many fans and readers share Huy's sentiment, saying they can understand why Grande called off the show but can’t accept the way she made the announcement.

Tickets for Grande's concert, which is part of her “Dangerous Woman” world tour, cost from VND790,000 ($35) to VND5 million ($220).

To get into venue, fans had been told not to bring any types of cameras, flashlights, backpacks or bags. They were told to use transparent bags and would also be checked at the entrance.

Showing a transparent bag that he had bought exclusively for this occasion, Nhu said he had left all his personal belongings at home except for his wallet and cellphone. “I've just found out the show has been canceled.”

Like Nhu, Hannah, an Australian fan, did not know about the news until she arrived at the venue in District 7.

The situation was exacerbated when the organizers took half an hour to send staff out to explain the situation to fans who had gathered outside the arena, including foreigners from the U.S., Japan, South Korea and Australia.

When they did decide to face the fans, the organizers simply confirmed the cancellation and provided a hotline number for them to claim refunds.

There was no explanation or apology, causing even more anger among he crowd who had been waiting in the rain in confusion.

Huy in HCMC said the organizers had not acted professionally.

Grande arrived in HCMC early on Tuesday with a team of 85 people following her performance in the Philippines on Monday.

The singer started the tour in early February in the U.S. to promote her third album, “Dangerous Woman”.

Expected to end in Hong Kong in late September, the tour was canceled for several nights after an explosion ripped through the arena at the end of her performance in Manchester, the U.K. Some of the 22 people who died in the attack were teenagers and young girls.

On June 4, Grande returned to Manchester and organized a benefit tour to raise funds for families of the victims.

Since the terror attack, Grande's safety has been made a priority for the rest of her tour.