Usher has been forced to postpone the kickoff of his Past Present & Future Tour – and he did so just hours before doors were set to open.
The trek was set to launch in his hometown of Atlanta on Wednesday (August 14), but the wear and tear of a busy schedule seemingly caught up with him.
“For my 30-plus year career, 100% of my blood, sweat and tears has gone into putting on the best performance and creating a memorable experience for my fans,” he said in a post to his social platforms. “I have every intention of doing that for this tour as well which is why I have to postpone tonight’s show and reschedule it for a later date to give my body a second to rest and heal. You’re still going to get a bit of the past, some of the present and a unique look into the future on the rescheduled date but you’ll also be getting 100% of me.”
He continued: “The last thing I want to ever do is disappoint you, the fans who have been eagerly waiting for this tour to start. However, I wouldn’t be the entertainer that I am if I can’t physically give you my best.
“My team will be sharing news of the rescheduled date soon. I can’t wait to celebrate this legacy with you.”
Ursh’s next show will be in Atlanta on Friday (August 16) with another one there the following day, and it’s unclear as of this writing if he will keep those dates.
It has been a wildly successful year for Usher, who headlined the Super Bowl, wrapped up a 100-show Las Vegas residency and released his ninth studio album in 2024 alone.
His Super Bowl halftime performance quickly became the most watched TV event of all time, drawing 123.4 million viewers, according to Billboard.
It topped Dr. Dre‘s star-studded 2022 performance, which boasted appearances from Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige and 50 Cent, as well as Rihanna‘s 2023 show, during which she revealed that she was pregnant with her second child.
Usher also took home two awards — Entertainer of the Year and the President’s Award — at the NAACP Image Awards in March, where he took the opportunity to thank the women in his life for supporting his dreams.
“They say behind or beside or with every strong man is a stronger woman, and for that I thank my mother and I thank my beautiful wife Jennifer for holding me down,” he said at the ceremony.
The superstar singer also has a concert film headed to theaters next month, and is up among the nominees for the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards.
His star-studded Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show has been nominated for Best Live Variety Special. It also received nods for Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety Special and Outstanding Technical Direction & Camerawork For A Special.
The 76th Emmys will air live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on September 15 from 5-8 p.m. PT on ABC.
