The organisers of Australia’s Spilt Milk Festival have quietly removed US artist d4vd from their 2025 line-up following shocking developments in an ongoing case in Los Angeles.
d4vd’s name vanished from updated festival posters this week, with no official statement made by promoters. His disappearance from the line-up coincides with the revelation that a teenage girl’s body was discovered in a Tesla vehicle registered to him earlier this month.
Earlier in September, a Tesla was impounded in Los Angeles after police located a badly decomposed body concealed in the front trunk. The car was traced back to d4vd, who rose to prominence in 2022 with the viral hit Romantic Homicide. The victim was later identified as a missing teenage girl who had been unaccounted for since 2024.
The case remains under active investigation. While no charges have been laid, d4vd has cancelled his scheduled US tour dates and is reported to be cooperating with authorities. Brands previously aligned with the singer have paused promotional activity, and the release of his deluxe album Withered has been delayed.
The fallout has been swift. In the United States, multiple shows were called off and merchandise partnerships suspended. Fans who had purchased tickets for his West Coast run were issued refunds. Within days, speculation spread about whether his planned international appearances would also be cancelled.
For Australian fans, that question has now been answered. d4vd will no longer perform at Spilt Milk, which begins its national run in early December.
Despite d4vd’s removal, the Spilt Milk line-up remains packed with major international and local acts. Kendrick Lamar headlines alongside Schoolboy Q, Doechii, Dominic Fike, and Sara Landry. Other names on the bill include Nessa Barrett, Rebecca Black, Mia Wray, The Rions, The Dreggs, Skin On Skin, and Ninajirachi.
The festival takes place across four cities in December:
Ballarat – Saturday 6 December, Victoria Park
Perth – Sunday 7 December, Claremont Showground
Canberra – Saturday 13 December, Exhibition Park
Gold Coast – Sunday 14 December, Gold Coast Sports Precinct
Tickets for Spilt Milk remain in high demand, with strong sales reported despite the change in line-up.
For d4vd, the situation represents the most serious crisis of his career. Until earlier this year, he had been regarded as one of the brightest young talents to emerge from the US alternative R&B and rap scene. His 2022 breakout, Romantic Homicide, clocked hundreds of millions of streams and made him a star on social media.
The Tesla case, however, has changed everything. The circumstances of the teenager’s death remain under investigation, with authorities yet to determine how or when she died. While d4vd has not been declared a suspect, the connection to his vehicle and the ongoing media attention have effectively shut down his career momentum.
Festival organisers have made no public statement on the matter, but the silent removal of d4vd from promotional material signals a clear decision to distance the event from the controversy. For Spilt Milk, which prides itself on curating a diverse and vibrant festival atmosphere, the move was likely made to avoid distraction from the music itself.
As it stands, d4vd’s future as a touring artist remains in question. The Spilt Milk cancellation confirms that international promoters are reconsidering his inclusion at major events, at least until further clarity is provided on the ongoing investigation.
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