Hours before she was set to open her highly anticipated Studio Sessions residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Kelly Clarkson canceled her first two shows. The July 4 and 5 performances were postponed just hours before the Fourth of July show, with Clarkson citing vocal strain following a grueling stretch of rehearsals.

“We have been working 24/7 to make Studio Sessions the most intimate and extraordinary experience with and for my incredible fans,” she wrote in a statement posted to Instagram. “The prep and rehearsals have taken a toll on my voice. I want the shows to be perfect for y’all and I need to protect myself from doing serious damage.” She added that she plans to rest “this weekend and next week” before returning to the stage.

While some fans appreciated the transparency, the timing still stung — especially for those already en route to Las Vegas. “Happened to me for Adele opening night,” one Reddit user wrote. “I was already on the plane and when I landed in Vegas I opened my phone to see the show had been cancelled less than 24 hours ahead.” Another added, “Adele did the same thing… People were so mad, they bought plane tickets and took vacation time.”

The Adele comparisons didn’t stop there. Both singers chose Caesars Palace as their Vegas venue. Both leaned into residency models to preserve vocal health and parenting schedules. And both launched projects anchored in control and intention — not tour-bus burnout. “I f—ing hate touring,” Adele admitted during her final Vegas show last fall, explaining that a residency allowed her to stay close to her son, Angelo. Clarkson, who shares two children with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, has voiced similar tension. “We haven’t done a show in a while, y’all, ’cause I have a talk show. It’s like a whole other job,” she told a New Jersey crowd in May.

That “other job” — The Kelly Clarkson Show — has quietly become a source of backstage friction. In May, Daily Mail reported that Clarkson’s sporadic appearances this spring had left her staff “stressed” and bracing for her exit once her contract ends in 2026. “Not feeling too stable,” one producer said. “She could bolt at any time.” DeuxMoi doubled down around the same time, hinting an announcement was “supposedly expected next week,” though no confirmation has materialized.

For now, Clarkson has said nothing about her daytime future — only that her return to Vegas is set for next weekend. But the delay, stacked against whispers of burnout and big-picture career shifts, has fans reading between the lines. “There were sooooooooo many seats still unsold,” one user noted on X. “$150 tix for up front too.”

Whether she’s protecting her voice, reassessing her workload, or inching toward a larger career reset, Clarkson seems to be following the Vegas blueprint Adele left behind — one that allows for creative control, personal boundaries, and the space to figure out what’s next. Still, we hope her fans are able to get a rescheduled show or refund ASAP.

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