Kelly Clarkson kicked off her Las Vegas residency with an apology to her fans.
“Man, I’m so sorry if some of y’all had [tickets to] last weekend’s shows,” Clarkson, 43, said during her Friday, July 11, concert, per social media footage. “I’m so sorry. We can’t help our bodies sometimes, and that happens, but thank you for showing up. We’re so excited.”
According to Clarkson, her latest Sin City production is her favorite tour she’s ever done.
“I love being in the studio, and that’s where this entire idea came from,” she said of the intimate stage setup. “[I’ll] give you a little sneak peek of what we do, and there’s nothing like getting in the studio with a bunch of musicians and just vibing with each other. You’re feeding off [everyone’s] different emotional state, and it’s just really cool.”
Clarkson announced hours before her scheduled July 4 performance that her latest Vegas residency would be postponed another week.
“We have been working 24/7 to make Studio Sessions the most intimate and extraordinary experience with and for my incredible fan,” she wrote in a statement. “I am beyond grateful that you always show up for me, and I am devastated to have to postpone tonight and tomorrow’s opening at Caesars. The prep and rehearsals have taken a toll on my voice.”
She continued, “I want the shows to be perfect for y’all, and I need to protect myself from doing serious damage so I am taking this weekend and next week to rest up so that we can deliver what you all deserve. The show is truly incredible.”
At the time, Clarkson praised her fellow “outstanding” musicians in the rehearsal studio.
“I want us all to start out strong,” she concluded earlier this month. “I can’t wait to be back next weekend and show y’all what we’ve been working on.”
Clarkson kicked off her Kelly Clarkson: Studio Sessions – The Las Vegas Residency on Friday. She will perform 17 more times, with her residency ending on November 15.
Studio Sessions is the former American Idol champion’s second residency in Las Vegas. She last took the stage in 2023 to perform hits from her Chemistry album.
“Having chemistry with someone is an incredible and overwhelming feeling,” she told Vogue at the time of her post-divorce album. “It’s like you have no choice in the matter — you are just drawn to each other. This can be good or bad. This album takes you down every path that chemistry could lead you down.”
Clarkson filed for divorce from her former music manager Brandon Blackstock in 2020. The pair, who share two kids, finalized the proceedings in 2022.
