Sam Smith Cancels Performances to Focus on 'Recovery and Health' After Stopping Show Due to Vocal Strain
Sam Smith is taking time to recuperate following some vocal troubles.
The “
” singer’s team announced on Wednesday that Smith would be canceling his upcoming performances in Azerbaijan and at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards via a statement released to his Twitter account, which reads, “In the wake of cutting his South African tour short last week, Sam’s medical specialists are requiring him to have further rest.”
“Regrettably this means that he will be unable to perform at the Azerbaijan Gran Prix in Baku this weekend or the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas next week,” the statement continues. “We apologize for the disappointment for those affected, but the primary focus at this time needs to be on Sam’s recovery and health.”
— Sam Smith (@samsmith) April 24, 2019
As reported by South Africa’s Channel 24 last week, Smith stopped his first-ever Cape Town concert just 45 minutes after it started due to vocal strain.
The outlet reported that the British singer-songwriter, 26, sang hits like “
” and “
” before abruptly leaving the stage. Shortly after, they reported a voice came on to tell the crowd that Smith could not continue with the show due to voice strain.
Event organizers BIG Concerts then released a statement on their Twitter page on April 16, writing, “Sam Smith’s CPT concert tonight has been canceled. Unfortunately Sam Smith took strain to his voice & had to stop his performance. Ticket holders will be contacted directly. We will keep you posted with more info for the other CPT performances as it becomes available.”
Sam Smith's CPT concert tonight has been cancelled. Unfortunately Sam Smith took strain to his voice & had to stop his performance. Ticket holders will be contacted directly. We will keep you posted with more info for the other CPT performances as it becomes available.
— BIG Concerts (@BigConcerts) April 16, 2019
Smith was originally scheduled to perform “Dancing With a Stranger” with Normani at the BBMAs, which are airing live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 1.
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This is not the first time Smith has run into vocal troubles. In May 2015, he underwent surgery to stop recurrent vocal cord hemorrhage (bleeding).
At the time, Massachusetts General Hospital — where Smith was operated on — explained in a statement that, “this condition is the result of unstable blood vessels in the vocal cord that can rupture and prevent vocal performance.”
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After a successful surgery, Smith opened up on Today in September 2015 saying that his recovery had been a “struggle to get through.”
“I’ve got to plan longer resting breaks in between shows,” he said, before joking, “I just need to stop writing songs that are too high to sing.”
