Cradle of Filth keyboardist and co-vocalist Zoe Marie Federoff has suddenly exited the band “for personal reasons” mid-tour, leaving frontman Dani Filth to respond to the “strange turn of events.”In a statement shared to social media, Federoff explained, “It is with deep regret I share that for personal reasons I am unable to continue this tour and continue in general with Cradle of Filth.” She then added, “Please respect my privacy and my family’s privacy. I will answer no further questions.”Finally, the musician requested that fans “be kind to my successor. I wish her and my now former bandmates well,” adding, “At least, like Roy Khan said over a decade ago, God was there after all.”TURKU, FINLAND – AUGUST 13: Dani Filth of Cradle of Filth performs on stage during the Knotfest at Artukainen Event Park on August 13, 2022 in Turku, Finland. (Photo by Venla Shalin/Redferns)In response, Cradle of Filth founding vocalist Dani Filth addressed the surprising news and revealed that the band has indeed already brought on a temporary replacement. “A strange turn of events have manifested out here on tour for Cradle of Filth in South America,” he said. “Our keyboardist/backing singer Zoe Smerda has chosen to leave the band mid-tour, effective immediately.”“We, of course, wish her all the best for the future,” he added. “And we as a band will continue onward and upward as always, with a replacement singer here in Kelsey Peters, one of the very talented CREWDLE members.”“In life, one cannot always foresee what the future holds for us,” he continued. “But we will remain ever-professional and continue on with The Screaming Of The Americas concerts for our fans without allowing any of this to sully our onward trajectory. So, our South and Central American brethren, we will see you at the next spat of relentless shows.”“The shows have already been incredible in Brazil, and we are just so exceptionally appreciative of your massive and passionate attendance, my friends and fiends alike,” Filth concluded. “Long live the FILTH!”Federoff joined Cradle of Filth in 2022 and performed on the band’s most recent album, The Screaming of the Valkyries, which was released in March 2025. Notably, Federoff if married to Cradle of Filth guitarist Marek “Ashok” Šmerda. The pair announced their engagement in 2024 and wed this past January. At this time, it does not appear that Šmerda is leaving the tour with his wife. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zoë M. Federoff (@zoemariefederoff)In a comment on her original post, Federoff later offered a “couple clarifying points since so many people decided to speculate in the nastiest possible ways,” first starting, “Ashok isn’t cheating. While the turmoil of being in the band has taken its toll on us, we remain very much certain that we love each other. Please be kind to my husband. He is a good man.”“We were already planning to leave the band later this year. Certain events have sped that up for me,” she continued, indicating Šmerda — who has been in the band for more than a decade — is also planning to exit. “At this time there is nothing further I wish to clarify and I’d appreciate keeping the ugly rumors off my page and out of my inbox.”“Please enjoy the remaining shows on this tour and give a lot of love to Kelsey,” she concluded. “Who is one of the greatest singers I’ve ever been privileged to hear. You’ll love her.”The post Cradle of Filth Keyboardist and Co-Vocalist Suddenly Exits the Band Mid-Tour, Frontman Dani Filth Responds appeared first on VICE.