Eden Fest: Yung Filly no longer performing at festival amid rape ...
By Lana Andelane
Multimedia Journalist·NZ Herald·
11 Oct, 2024 02:58 AM2 mins to read
YouTuber Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, known as "Yung Filly", is no longer performing at Eden Festival. Photo / Getty Images
Warning: Mentions rape, sexual assault.
British rapper Yung Filly will no longer be performing at Eden Festival in Auckland on Saturday after being charged with rape and sexual assault amid his Australian tour.
“Due to recent developments as you may have seen, Yung Filly is no longer able to appear at Eden Fest tomorrow,” a statement read on the music festival’s Instagram Story on Friday afternoon.
Prior to the statement being issued, the rapper, YouTuber and TV presenter - real name Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos - had still been billed as a “special guest” on Eden Festival’s website.
The event is set to take place at Trusts Arena in Henderson, Auckland on Saturday, October 12, with headlining acts including Jorja Smith and Rema. Singer Miguel and rapper Busta Rhymes were also announced as headliners, but both have since pulled out.
New Zealand acts on the line-up include Stan Walker, Aaradhna and Swidt.
On Thursday, Barrientos, 29, appeared in Perth Magistrates Court charged with three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, four counts of sexual penetration without consent, and one count of impeding another person’s normal breathing or blood circulation by applying pressure to the neck.
The alleged assault is said to have taken place in Barrientos’ hotel room on September 28 after a performance at a nightclub in northern Perth.
Barrientos was taken into custody in Brisbane on Tuesday, before Western Australia authorities extradited him to Perth on Wednesday.
Police opposed his request to be released from custody at his hearing on Thursday, ABC reports. However, Magistrate Tanya Watt disagreed with prosecutors’ argument that it would be difficult to prevent Barrientos from fleeing the state or potentially meddling with witnesses.
Watt granted him bail with strict conditions, including a ban on contacting the alleged victim or posting on social media about the case.
Barrientos must also stay in Western Australia, report daily to police, and post a A$100,000 ($110,000) surety, ABC reports.
He will next appear at Perth Magistrates Court on December 19 for a committal mention.
The musician and influencer was born in Colombia but moved to the United Kingdom as a refugee with his family.
Barrientos currently boasts 1.8 million followers on YouTube, 3.2 million on TikTok and 3 million on Instagram. He also hosts TV shows on the BBC, including Yung Filly’s Celeb Lock-In and Hot Property.
