Adele has opened up about postponing her Las Vegas residency - and she says the backlash was 'brutal'

She also said she stood by the decision but it had left her feeling "devastated."

Adele performs on stage as American Express present BST Hyde Park in Hyde Park on July 02, 2022 in London, England
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Amy Sedghi
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She also said she stood by the decision but it had left her feeling "devastated."

Remember at the start of the year when Adele's hotly anticipated Las Vegas residency was postponed last minute? Well, the global superstar has opened up for the first time about the reaction to *that* moment - and the subsequent effect the online backlash had on her.

Speaking to radio presenter Laurene Laverne on the BBC's Desert Island Discs, the Tottenham-born singer, said the reaction to scrapping the shows 24 hours before the opening night had been "brutal." She also went on to say that it had left her feeling liking "a shell of a person for a couple of months."

The 34-year-old singer said:

"I definitely felt everyone's disappointment and I was devastated and I was frightened about letting them down. I thought I could pull it together and make it work and I couldn't, and I stand by that decision.I was a shell of a person for a couple of months. I just had to wait it out and just grieve it, I guess, just grieve the shows and get over the guilt, but it was brutal."

Posting a video to her Instagram account on the 20th January, the visibly upset singer apologised to her fans and said plainly that her show wasn't ready despite trying "absolutely everything that we can to put it together in time and for it to be good enough for you."

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CY-AYtZAgp-/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

She went on to say that delivery delays and Covid-19 had "destroyed" her and her team's plans for the Las Vegas residency shows.

Apologising for the last minute news, Adele said she was "gutted", "upset" and "embarrassed" to have to cancel the concerts. She had been scheduled to perform two shows at at Caesars Palace every weekend from from late January until April 2022.

A photo posted by on

With tears in her eyes, the Pavements singer told her 50.4 million Instagram following that all the dates would be rescheduled. In an interview with Graham Norton in February, Adele assured the host - along with fans watching - that the Las Vegas residency would "absolutely 100%" happen this year.

Last weekend, Adele performed at Hyde Park in London and it marked a major moment for the singer and her fans, with it being the grammy-award winning performer's first public concert for five years.

Amy Sedghi
Amy Sedghi

Amy Sedghi is a freelance journalist, specialising in health and fitness, travel, beauty, sustainability and cycling.

Having started her career in The Guardian newsroom working with an award-winning team, Amy's proud to have reported on a variety of topics, speaking to a range of voices and travelling far and wide to do so. From interviews on ski lifts to writing up breaking stories outside courtrooms, Amy is used to reporting from a range of locations (she’s even been known to type up a story in a tent).

She also loves being active, spending time outdoors and travelling - with some of her favourite features she’s worked on combining all three. Cycling and eating her way round the Isle of Man, learning to sail on the Côte d'Azur and traversing the Caminito del Rey path in Spain are just some of her highlights.

Covering a diverse range of subjects appeals to Amy. One minute she may be writing about her online styling session with Katie Holmes’ stylist and the next she’s transporting readers to the basketball courts of Haringey where she joined a group trying to lower knife crime in the capital.

While at university, Amy was awarded The Media Society bursary. Following her stint at the Guardian, Amy worked at Google and as well as writing for Marie Claire, she regularly contributes interviews, features and articles to National Geographic Traveller, The Guardian, The Independent, The Telegraph, Stylist, Refinery29, Glorious Sport, Cycling Weekly and Rouleur.

When she’s not writing, Amy can be found trying to get through her towering stack of books-to-read, cycling down at Herne Hill Velodrome or looking for the next place to eat and drink with friends.

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