Kelly Clarkson FINALLY kicks off Las Vegas residency after angering fans with last-minute cancellation

Kelly Clarkson has officially kicked off her much-awaited Las Vegas residency – just one week after angering fans by canceling shows last minute.

The Because Of You songstress, 43 – who had emotionally said she was ‘devastated’ to postpone the concerts – finally took to the stage at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Friday.

Along with performing hits for the crowd, the star also apologized for canceling the opening two shows of her residency just minutes before showtime.

In a TikTok video taken by a concertgoer, Clarkson expressed, ‘Man, I’m so sorry if some of y’all had [tickets to] last weekend’s shows.

‘I’m so sorry. We can’t help our bodies sometimes, and that happens, but thank you for showing up. We’re so excited.’ 

Kelly also opened up about the inspiration behind her residency and stage setup as she continued to address the audience. 

Kelly Clarkson, 43, has officially kicked off her much-awaited Las Vegas residency – just one week after angering fans by canceling shows last minute

Along with performing hits for the crowd, the star also apologized for canceling the opening two shows of her residency just minutes before showtime

The stage was decorated as if she were inside an intimate recording studio – with multiple pictures hanging up on a wall as warm lights shone down on the singer. 

A band could be seen directly behind Clarkson as well as backup vocalists and green plants scattered around. 

‘I love being in the studio, and that’s where this entire idea came from,’ the former American Idol contestant explained. 

‘[I’ll] give you a little sneak peek of what we do, and there’s nothing like getting in the studio with a bunch of musicians and just vibing with each other. You’re feeding off [everyone’s] different emotional state, and it’s just really cool.’ 

She added, ‘We’re having a good time as if we’re literally in a studio just creating a live record which I’m totally gonna sell this one day because this is my favorite show…’ 

Kelly stunned in a figure-hugging dress that clung to her frame and contained both feathery and dazzling details on the material. 

Her long locks were parted in the middle, and effortlessly flowed down past her shoulders in light waves. 

The mom-of-two opted for minimal accessories to allow the ensemble to be the main focal point and added a pair of mini silver earrings. 

‘I love being in the studio, and that’s where this entire idea came from,’ the former American Idol contestant explained

Kelly stunned in a figure-hugging dress that clung to her frame and contained both feathery and dazzling details on the material

Clarkson later had an outfit change and sported a pair of black jeans as well as a short-sleeved, Stevie Nicks shirt

Clarkson later had an outfit change and sported a pair of black jeans as well as a short-sleeved, Stevie Nicks shirt. 

The hem of the pants contained colorful strips of fabric that offered a unique flare to the overall look. 

Kelly was seen flashing a cheerful smile on stage as she performed for cheering fans and belted out lyrics into a microphone in her hand. 

It comes just one week after the songstress took to Instagram just 90 minutes before her first scheduled show and explained she was ‘devastated’ to postpone the concerts following grueling rehearsals. 

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.’

She 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.’

It comes just one week after the songstress took to Instagram just 90 minutes before her first scheduled show and explained she was ‘devastated’ to postpone the concerts following grueling rehearsals

She 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’; seen in May in NYC 

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 cancelation 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. 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.

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

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.

‘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.’

The cancellation of the singer’s first two shows last week 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 last week 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.’