Adele Calls Postponement of Las Vegas Residency “Worst Moment of My Career”
More than six months after Adele announced that she would have to postpone her Las Vegas residency tour dates, the singer is publicly reflecting on the decision.
In January, the Grammy winner tearfully announced the news on social media and explained that plans for the Weekends With Adele residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace had been disrupted with delivery delays and crewmembers testing positive for COVID-19, among several reasons shared at the time.
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In an Elle cover story published Monday, the singer further gave insight into the reasons behind the postponement, telling the publication that “it was the worst moment in my career, by far.”
When looking back at the “devastating” time, Adele explained that the originally planned shows also didn’t align with the vision she had. “There was just no soul in it. The stage setup wasn’t right. It was very disconnected from me and my band, and it lacked intimacy. And maybe I tried too hard to give it those things in such a controlled environment,” she said.
She further explained that the grand size of the Colosseum stage resulted in myriad issues. The original shows initially had a planned water feature that she said “looked great for a couple of songs and then didn’t do anything. It was just there.”
The singer recalled a dress rehearsal the night before she made the announcement, when she sat at the side of the stage, singing a cappella to the empty seats and realizing what was missing. “This would be the best part of the show,” she recalled thinking, explaining that that intimacy and connection with the audience was what she wanted versus a spectacle of a show.
After announcing the postponement, the singer shared, she felt “embarrassed” but was sure that it was the right decision: “The first couple of months was really, really hard. I was embarrassed. But it actually made my confidence in myself grow because it was a very brave thing to do. And I don’t think many people would have done what I did. I’m very proud of myself for standing by my artistic needs.”
The original announcement of the residency shortly followed the release of Adele’s fourth studio album, 30. After her abrupt announcement sparked some criticism, the singer “went into hiding” and stopped actively promoting her new album as a result. “I didn’t want anyone to think I [wasn’t] trying my best,” she said. “And I was.”
Last month Adele unveiled the new concert dates, which will run from Nov. 18 through March 25, 2023. In addition to the 24 rescheduled shows, eight new concerts have been added.
The singer teases that the new show will be more intimate and chronicle her career journey. “I want to tell the story of the beginning of my career to now. I’m not gonna give too much about it, but the show grows. The show grows. It’s all about the music, and it’s really, really nostalgic. It’s gonna be really beautiful,” she said.
The residency, she explained, has arrived at the right time in her life and career: “I think I’m right to do it right now. I know I’m not, like, 60 years old and I haven’t got 20 albums under my belt. But I think my music will work in a show in Vegas.”
The residency will also mark a time when she’s able to experience her recent album “in the world,” she said. “It’s gonna be so emotional. I don’t know what I’m gonna do with myself.”
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