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Australian musician detained at US border, forced to abandon tour
Electronic artist Keli Holiday, one half of the duo Peking Duk, was denied re-entry to the United States last week despite holding valid visa documents, abruptly ending his North American tour.
Updated 12 May 2026 - Holiday has since returned to Australia.
Border incident details
Holiday, whose legal name is Adam Hyde, performed several US shows before traveling to Toronto, Canada. On attempting to re-enter the US for a New York performance, he was detained at the border.
In a social media post over the weekend, Holiday stated: "I have spent all day detained at the Canadian border and denied entry back into the US despite having the proper visa documentation in place. I'm still trying to get clarity on the situation myself."
Girlfriend apologizes for 2025 social media post
On Tuesday, Holiday's partner, podcaster and television host Abbie Chatfield, issued an apology for a July 2025 video that criticized former US President Donald Trump. Online speculation suggested a possible link to Holiday's border difficulties.
In a ten-minute video response, Chatfield clarified that Holiday had no knowledge of the post and emphasized that her comments had been misinterpreted. She stated she had not advocated political violence against Trump.
"A video that I posted a year ago has come back to haunt me, essentially. I also want to make it clear Adam hadn't even seen this video, so any vitriol toward him is unwarranted."
Abbie Chatfield
Background on the controversial video
Chatfield's 2025 post referenced Luigi Mangione, the US man accused of fatally shooting Brian Thompson, then-CEO of UnitedHealthcare, in December 2024. Mangione faces upcoming state and federal trials for the alleged murder.
Chatfield stated no official reason was provided for Holiday's entry denial, but noted public speculation had connected the two events.
Broader context: US travel rules
The incident occurs months after the US introduced proposed changes to tourist entry requirements. Under the new rules, foreign visitors may be asked to provide a five-year social media history as part of the entry process.
Next steps
The BBC has reached out to Holiday's management for comment but has not yet received a response.
