News Beat
Leona Lewis says she’s ‘gutted’ after cancelling concert at last minute
Leona Lewis has declared she is ‘heartbroken’ after being forced to cancel a show this weekend due to illness.
The British singer, 40, rose to fame after winning the third season of The X Factor in 2006 and has since gone on to release five albums and sell over 35 million records worldwide.
Over the past month she’s been undertaking a residency at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas – titled A Starry Night.
Kicking off on November 1, she will take to the stage for 34 shows, which will wrap up on January 3, 2026.
However, after ‘battling through’, she’s had to pull the plug on tonight’s show after becoming unwell.
Posting a statement on social media, she wrote: ‘To my lovely fans, I’m heartbroken to share that I will not be able to perform tomorrow night’s show (Dec 20).
‘I have been battling a sore throat for the past few days and while I tried pushing through tonight’s show, it has only left me feeling worse.
‘I will be spending this time recovering and on vocal rest so I can come back stronger and give you all the show you deserve.
‘This was not an easy decision, and I’m truly so gutted to disappoint any of you who had plans to attend.’
She concluded her post: ‘Thank you for your patience, kindness and understanding. I’m so grateful for you all always showing up for me and love each of you so much. I’ll see you back under the stars very soon xx Leona.’
In the caption, she also explained: ‘If you had tickets to A Starry Night Dec 20th show – please reach out to info@voltairelv.com to arrange a refund or reschedule your tickets for a later show.’
The singer was quickly met with messages of support from fans, who wished her a speedy recovery.
‘You always gonna be the one and only Leona!!! We love you and we keep follow Your shining way,’ Jorgio commented.
‘You were absolutely incredible tonight. I wish you a speedy recovery and hope you feel better soon. Thank you for the hug tonight,’ Richard shared.
‘I’m devastated as this was my birthday, but your health and wellbeing comes above anything else and I’m wishing you a quick and happy recovery!! You’ve been a shining light in my life for so many years now and you will always continue to be one. Merry Christmas and get well soon Leona, hopefully one day soon you’ll be able to bring your fabulous show to the UK and I’ll be able to see you there xx,’ Michael added.
One fan wrote: ‘Aww we saw you last year and you were absolutely incredible Wishing a speedy recovery’.
Ahead of her residency kicking off, Leona detailed how she took inspiration from her career to date, as well as her personal life, to create the performances.
‘It has been 20 years since I stepped on the scene with X Factor, and a lot has happened in my life,’ she told The Sun.
‘This is not just a show. This is me sharing what I’ve been through, How I started, why I wrote certain songs, why I performed certain songs. It’s the culmination of my life’s work in music.’
She went on to share she felt both ‘proud and privileged’ to follow in the footsteps of other British acts including Adele and Elton John who’d had residencies in Las Vegas.
The singer also said her X Factor mentor Simon Cowell had been incredibly encouraging about her latest career move.
‘When I told him about Vegas he was so supportive. He has always had my back from day one on the show and he still does now.’
Earlier this month Leona also confirmed she was set to release a new album next year – her first in over a decade. Her latest studio album, I Am, was released in 2015.
Speaking to US Weekly, Leona explained that she debated recording new music about five years ago but didn’t ‘feel ready’.
‘Honestly, I wasn’t ready to put anything out there yet, and it’s taken me this long to be like, “OK, now I’m ready”. And I was probably ready about two years ago when I came off of tour.
‘That’s when I started getting into the studio and started the process. When you embark on a process like this, you never know how long it’s going to take, what’s going to appear, what am I going to write about? And there was such a recurring theme, and I kept trying to push it away and be like, “I’m not sure if that’s the way I want to go”, but it just revealed itself to me.’
After her residency wraps up, she will be heading back into the studio to finish the album.
Detailing what inspired her, she added: ‘It’s honestly about the past 10 years, all of the learning and the unlearning that I’ve done. It’s an ode to my daughter as well. It’s an ode to my younger self. It’s a really deeply connected album. So, I’m excited to share it, and I think that people will feel where I’m coming from.’
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE: Rod Stewart halts concert to shout at ‘overenthusiastic security guard’ for spoiling show
MORE: Lewis Capaldi denies feud with ‘evil’ Taylor Swift
MORE: Lewis Capaldi brutally roasts fans after they get engaged at his concert
