Zimdancehall musician Silent Killer missed his scheduled performance at the UK’s SAMA Festival 2025 after refusing to board two separate flights, citing a terrifying dream that the plane would explode.

According to Fred Matenga of Y2K Promotions, the artist was initially booked on an Ethiopian Airlines flight but missed it after abruptly leaving the check-in area and locking himself in an airport toilet. A last-minute replacement ticket was secured for a later flight, but Silent Killer again refused to board, insisting he had a premonition of disaster.

“It’s very unfortunate that we’ve got to a situation whereby his visa, everything, he has it and he went to the airport today. This sounds like fiction but that’s what happened,” Matenga said.

“He went to the airport today, managed to check in for the Ethiopian Air flight at three o’clock, the five past three. When he checked in, he decided to go back to his car. The plane was supposed to be taking off about an hour and you know the doors close about 30 minutes before takeoff. So instead of going to the plane, he decided to go to the car.”

Promoters scrambled to arrange a second flight, spending an additional $1,500 on a new ticket, but Silent Killer stood firm in his refusal.

“We frantically tried to get another ticket and Alex, my colleague, he was sorting that out with travel agents, managed to get him another flight which was leaving Harare at six o’clock,” Matenga explained. “Well, he was at the airport, ticket bought, and he decided that he had a dream that the plane was going to explode.”

The incident has left festival organizers and fans disappointed, as Silent Killer was set to perform alongside Alick Macheso, Blot, and Mambo Dhuterere, all of whom have already arrived in the UK.

Matenga expressed concern over the artist’s mental state, urging him to seek professional help.

“It is sad that we think he needs psychiatric input, we think he needs to go to hospital. So unfortunately for the people who are looking forward to see Silent Killer, this situation has gone bad again, so we have situations like that which is really unfortunate.”

As of now, Silent Killer has not publicly commented on the incident. Meanwhile, the show is set to proceed without him.