Flávio José cancels São João shows in Bahia after MP-BA cuts fee

Forró singer Flávio José announced that he will not perform in any of the São João festivals in Bahia in June 2026, saying the state Ministry of Public (MP‑BA) ordered a reduction of his fee by roughly R$45,000 from the contracted R$350,000. The artist posted on social media that the cut would force him to cancel about 15 scheduled concerts across municipalities such as Lauro de Freitas, Salvador and others. He criticized the MP, claiming other genres receive higher payments.

Municipalities like Cachoeira say they have received no official notice of cancellation and maintain that contracts remain active. The MP‑BA explained that it has sent recommendations to over 100 municipalities to align artist fees with public‑budget limits, noting that average contract values in recent years have risen from around R$200,000 to R$700,000. The office said the guidelines aim to prevent excessive public‑fund spending and have already generated savings of R$8.8 million. A meeting between the singer’s representatives and the MP‑BA is scheduled for 8 June to discuss possible resolutions.