‘I’m really sorry’: Adele’s shock announcement on eve of Vegas residency

Hours before her Las Vegas residency was due to begin, Adele has stunned fans with a heartbreaking announcement.

Superstar Adele has shocked fans by dramatically postponing her much-anticipated new Las Vegas residency, just one day before it was due to open.

And as disappointed fans rally behind the star, fellow singer Pink offered some touching words of advice via Instagram: “Sweetheart I have been there. The pressure is immense and I’m gutted for all of you. It will come together and it will be amazing when it does.”

Adele, whose fourth album 30 is riding high in the charts worldwide, made the tearful announcement via Instagram today, just over 24 hours before the first show was due to take place.

She explained that the residency, first announced last November, “wasn’t ready” due to Covid and other production delays.

Adele breaks down as she makes the announcement.

“I’m so sorry, but my show ain’t ready. We’ve tried absolutely everything that we can to pull it together and have it ready in time for you, but we’ve been absolutely destroyed by delivery delays and Covid,” she began, her voice shaking.

“Half my crew, half my team are down with Covid – still are. It’s been impossible to finish the show. I can’t give you what I have right now, and I’m gutted,” she continued.

The residency was due to open in Vegas in just over 24 hours.

“I’m sorry it’s so last-minute. We’ve been awake for over 30 hours now trying to figure it out and … we’ve run out of time. I’m so upset and I’m really embarrassed and I’m so sorry to everyone that’s travelled again.

“I’m really, really sorry. We’re on it, we’re going to reschedule all of the dates, and I’m going to finish my show and get it to where it’s supposed to be.

“It’s been impossible. We’ve been up against so much and it just ain’t ready,” she continued, apologising repeatedly once more.

“It’s been impossible.”

The Weekends With Adele Vegas residency was set to debut Friday January 21 Las Vegas time and play two shows each weekend until April. With Adele set to earn almost $1m per show, it was to be an easier alternative for an artist who famously does not enjoy touring and is now based just a short plane ride away from Vegas in Los Angeles.

The announcement seems to have taken even the show’s venue by surprise, with the Caesars Palace’s website still listing it as beginning on Friday January 21.

It’s not the first time Adele has been forced to pull a big show at the last minute: Back in 2016, she was set to finish her Adele Live world tour with four massive shows at London’s Wembley Arena. She had to cancel the final two of those shows at short notice due to damaged vocal cords, with almost 200,000 ticketholders affected.

At the time, some fans who’d already booked accommodation and travelled to London for the shows complained about the last-minute announcement - no doubt there will be fans in a similar position this time around, with Adele pulling the pin at around 3pm Thursday, Vegas time, ahead of a Friday night show.

It’s unclear exactly how many shows in this residency will be affected by the pushback, with a caption accompanying Adele’s Instagram announcement saying simply that “all dates will be rescheduled.”

The Sun reported this week that as well as earning almost $1m a show in ticket sales, Adele will also enjoy a host of perks during her residency at the 42000-seat Caesars Palace.

The casino will provide her with “a $56,000-a-night private suite accessible at any time during the residency, a butler, executive assistant, chauffeur and security,” as well as free food and drink for Adele and guests at any Ceasers resort.