Donald Glover has shared sobering details of a health scare that saw his Auckland show cancelled and his final tour as Childish Gambino cut short, revealing doctors discovered a hole in his heart after he’d suffered a stroke.

Glover, 42, had scheduled a concert at Auckland’s Spark Arena on January 28 for his New World Tour, which would have been the artist’s last using his widely recognised moniker.

However, 18 shows in, the artist unexpectedly cancelled the remaining dates in North America and Europe, having booked to undergo surgery for an unspecified “ailment”.

Glover subsequently cancelled the Australian and New Zealand leg in November last year, penning to his supporters that the “path to recovery is taking longer than expected”.

“One of the last things I’d ever want to do is disappoint my fans,” he wrote.

“I really appreciate the support you have shown and know that I will do what I can to give u an exceptional experience when the time is right. Thank you.”

Donald Glover's Auckland show at Spark Arena on January 28 was cancelled mid‑tour. Photo / Getty Images

In his first concert appearance since cancelling the tour, Glover divulged more to fans about the medical mystery at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival over the weekend.

“You guys voted for a ‘where have I been monologue’,” he said in clips shared to social media.

“I had a really bad pain in my head in Louisiana, and I did the show anyway. I couldn’t really see well, so when we went to Houston, I went to the hospital and the doctor was like, ‘You had a stroke’.

“And the first thing I thought was like, ‘Oh, here I am still copying Jamie Foxx’.

“That’s really like the second thing. The first thing was like, ‘I’m letting everybody down’.”

Glover then cancelled the Australasian dates the following month upon the discovery of a heart defect that required surgical intervention.

“I broke my foot ... They found a hole in my heart ... so I had this surgery, and then I had to have another surgery,” he said.

“They say everybody has two lives and the second life starts when you realise you have one. You got one life, guys. And I gotta be honest, the life I’ve lived with you guys has been such a blessing.”

Glover did not disclose whether treatment had alleviated the problems, or whether he would resume touring.

The five-time Grammy winner began performing under the Childish Gambino name in 2008 and has released five albums.

While promoting the release of album Bando Stone & the New World last year, Glover said the persona would soon be shelved, telling the New York Times he was “done” with it.

“It’s not fulfilling. And I just felt like I didn’t need to build in this way anymore.”

Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023.