Kelly Clarkson has canceled the opening two shows of her Las Vegas residency just minutes before showtime.

The 43-year-old singer shared on her Instagram just an hour and a half earlier that she was ‘devastated’ to delay the concerts after intense rehearsals.

The Grammy winner further expressed that she needs ‘to protect’ her voice in order to prevent ‘doing serious damage.’ 

Clarkson penned to her fans in a statement: ‘We have been working 24/7 to make Studio Sessions the most intimate and extraordinary experience with and for my incredible fans. 

‘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.’

Kelly said that both the ‘prep and rehearsals have taken a toll on my voice’ and that she wants ‘the shows to be perfect for y’all.’

Kelly Clarkson, 43, has canceled the opening two shows of her Las Vegas residency just minutes before showtime; seen in May in NYC

The singer took to her Instagram just 90 minutes before and explained she was ‘devastated’ to postpone the concerts following grueling rehearsals

Kelly added, ‘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. The musicians and singers are outstanding, and I want us all to start out strong.’

In conclusion, the songstress wrote, ‘I can’t wait to be back next weekend and show y’all what we’ve been working on.’ 

Only a few hours before the shock announcement, Clarkson had uploaded behind-the-scenes photos of herself preparing for the residency with the caption, ‘TONIGHT!!’ 

Fans were left ‘bummed’ over the sudden cancellation while others offered words of support to the Because of You singer in the comment section. 

One penned, ‘Totally bummed that we flew all the way to Vegas only to find out that the show was cancelled 1 1/2 hours prior to show time. So so sad!!’ and another added, ‘I’m outside the doors,’ followed by crying face emojis.

‘This stinks so bad for people who spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to travel to see these performers,’ an Instagram user shared.

A fan wrote, ‘Understand. Bummed to miss you next weekend but feel better and hopefully I can make it to a fall show :).’ 

The performer announced her Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace earlier this year in February

This year’s residency had been slated to kick off on Fourth of July followed by another performance the next day; seen in 2024 in Cleveland 

Fans were left ‘bummed’ over the sudden cancellation while others offered words of support to the Because of You singer in the comment section

Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth offered red heart emojis while one follower said, ‘Your health comes first Kelly.’ 

The performer announced her Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace earlier this year in February. 

‘I’m so excited to be back in Vegas! We’re bringing the studio to the stage this time with “Studio Sessions”! See you soon!’ she wrote at the time. 

It came after she hosted a residency at Planet Hollywood Resort from 2023-2024. 

This year’s residency had been slated to kick off on Fourth of July followed by another performance the next day. 

Clarkson still has additional dates set throughout July and August, until she returns to The Colosseum in November. 

Back in May, the mom-of-two opened up about the residency and discussed what fans could expect from the performances. 

During an interview on Today, the former American Idol winner said, ‘This is totally different for us, how we’re doing it.

During an interview on Today, the former American Idol winner said, ‘This is totally different for us, how we’re doing it’; seen in May in NYC 

‘It’s called Studio Sessions, and the reason for that is I feel like you don’t get live anymore – maybe back in the ’70s – but you really don’t get live what you really feel in the studios.’

The talk show host added, ‘You fill out the whole stage, like I’ve hired more musicians, more singers are coming out, we’re literally filling out everything. 

‘There’s no tracks at all of any instruments or anything. It’s all live. It just feels amazing in the studio, so we wanted to bring that into the setting for everybody, so it’s going to be really fun.’ 

That same month, it was revealed that Clarkson had still yet to sell a large portion of tickets for her Las Vegas residency – including opening night. 

The cancellation of the singer’s first two shows comes amid reports that her future on her Emmy-winning talk show is seemingly up in the air. 

Her contract with NBC comes to an end in 2026, and Kelly is allegedly considering walking away from her show. 

The cancellation of the singer’s first two shows comes amid reports that her future on her Emmy-winning talk show is seemingly up in the air

Back in March, she notably had a mysterious 10-day absence from the talk show due to a ‘private matter.’

A source told Page Six in late May, ‘This has all been very painful for her. 

‘The difficulty is that Kelly, like all of us, wants to be liked, and she had to deal with this new moment in her life. She knew she had to step down for a minute.’ 

The insider also alleged, ‘She has her priorities, and her family comes first, but I think she’s been humbled by the whole situation… what has happened has given her a moment of clarity, I think.’