Jered Threatin issues new single after 2018 fake tour controversy
The frontman behind a notorious 2018 UK tour built on fabricated social media metrics has released new music, highlighting the lingering risks promoters face when booking acts based solely on online followings.
Jered Threatin has released a new single titled The Shadow Box, marking his return to music after a lengthy hiatus. The track is the first preview of his upcoming second album, The Meaning of It All, which currently has no confirmed release date.
The new release features instrumentation reminiscent of Ennio Morricone and was mastered at Abbey Road in London. Its accompanying music video depicts the frontman inside a desert burial box before he escapes atop a moving goods train.
This release follows a difficult period for the musician, who underwent emergency open-heart surgery after suffering a series of heart attacks. He documented that medical ordeal in early 2025 with a single called Die Young and an accompanying video.
The musician previously made headlines across Europe in 2018 for a highly controversial UK tour where audiences failed to materialise. It was later revealed that the band had fabricated a massive online following to secure bookings from unsuspecting live music venues.
The incident exposed a critical vulnerability in the live entertainment sector, where promoters rely heavily on digital engagement metrics to forecast ticket sales. When venues realized the online presence was entirely manufactured, they faced empty rooms and significant financial losses.
The fallout from the tour resulted in the departure of his band members and prompted legal disputes. Rather than issue an apology, the frontman framed the deception as a deliberate stunt about media manipulation.
Defending the maneuver, he asked online what fake news really is before explaining his rationale. He stated, "I turned an empty room into an international headline. If you are reading this, you are part of the illusion."
He attempted a brief comeback a year after the cancellations with a poorly attended performance at the Underworld in London. Following that shambolic show, the project largely ceased public activity until his recent health struggles and subsequent musical return.
