As fans continue to moan over last week’s sudden cancelation of Adele’s hotly-anticipated Las Vegas residency, new details have emerged revealing some major behind-the-scenes drama that allegedly happened in the lead-up to the announcement.
The 33-year-old singer was set to open her Vegas residency, Weekends with Adele, last weekend at Caesar’s Palace. But on January 20, both she and the venue announced the entire slate of shows–which would have run every weekend through April–would be postponed due to “delivery delays and COVID.”
Now, The Daily Mail reports there’s more to the story than just that. Apparently, the singer had engaged in a protracted fight with set designer Esmeralda Devlin, who had previously designed her 2016 tour, prior to the show’s cancelation.
Related: More backstage drama about Adele’s canceled Vegas show leaks and OMG it sounds like a mess
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“In spite of the set costing millions to put together, Adele was unhappy with the result, and she made her feelings very clear to Es,” a source told the outlet. “She was already nervous and the falling-out sent her spiraling into a panic because she was desperate that everything should be perfect.”
A second source appeared to corroborate this, citing the “endless changes” being demanded by the hitmaker.
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“There was no real clarity around what Adele wanted for the show because of the endless changes being made to the production,” the second source added. “It seemed that while she has always preferred a stripped-back performance, she was under some pressure to come up with a huge extravaganza. “
They continued, “So there was a constant ricochet between those two versions of what the show should be, and it did cause some quite explosive arguments. Most shows have teething problems of one kind or another, but there has been a feeling for some time that these shows were heading for disaster.”
“It is well known that Adele suffers badly with anxiety when it comes to performing live, so it’s hard to imagine her going ahead if she wasn’t happy,” the source also said.
This latest report emerges after Adele posted a teary-eyed apology video posted to Instagram. She blamed a sudden outbreak of COVID-19 among her crew for the need to scrap the shows.
Conspicuously, however, Caeser’s Palace failed to make mention of the outbreak when it announced the cancelation, leading to speculation that the virus may not be the only reason for the last-minute change.
Over the weekend, gossip columnist Roger Friedman at Showbiz 411 claimed that the scrapped performances had more to do with the backstage bickering.
“The whole Adele Vegas residency is a disaster,” he wrote. “But ‘We ain’t ready’ at the last minute doesn’t hold water. This isn’t the Rolling Stones stage show. Adele live is her, an orchestra and some lighting. She’s not sailing across the theatre in a hook-up, there are no pyrotechnics.”
Friedman added, “If the show wasn’t ready, it could be postponed a couple of weeks, and the missed shows could have been rescheduled at the end of the run. But they’ve scrapped the whole thing… so it’s not just a matter of not being ready…doesn’t make sense.”
Meanwhile, fans have taken to Twitter to share their frustration over the whole situation…
Adele fans, are now really screaming, Oprah Winfrey has flown to be by her side, she’s now cancelled the whole concert for three months. Blaming the crew and Covid 19. pic.twitter.com/BD6HgYHfdo
— hello possums…!! (@RobertCawood2) January 24, 2022
Some are creating hatred to @Adele for not refunding.I know money is hard to find however do not hate our mummy please.Refunds will be a key to reduce their nonsensical thoughts.The promoters are making money using @Adele and all she receives will be hatred.#WeekendsWithAdele pic.twitter.com/nFdlL2vMRK
— leonardreignn (@leonardreignn) January 22, 2022
Heartbroken but can’t wait to see @Adele when new dates are announced #WeekendsWithAdele pic.twitter.com/TifVnKL8AD
— Colin Wong (He/Him) (@colin13wong) January 20, 2022
My stomach is in knots. We have our flights and hotel booked already. This makes me so sad. Hoping we can get our money back. #Adele #WeekendsWithAdele https://t.co/DAleno2adW
— Catie King (@C_Pj_K) January 20, 2022
They really need to set up an online store for this merch, since no one is going to Vegas now. #WeekendsWithAdele pic.twitter.com/th6qJDVwIX
— Madame CJ DuckWalker ? (@XOANTY) January 22, 2022
Adele has to personally fly her out because this is chaotic. ? pic.twitter.com/bXJ9OaB8vR
— Still Sky Daddy's Favorite (@Connichameleon2) January 21, 2022
Crazy to cancel her residency THE DAY BEFORE before she is set to open in Las Vegas… but Adele fans are used to heartbreak. #Adele #caesars #adeleomg #lasvegas #WeekendsWithAdele #canceled #residency https://t.co/nEiOxIqWrp
— Christianne Klein (@ckleintv) January 21, 2022
I cancelled my flight to Dallas, sold my Ateez ticket, and decided not to see Adele. I'm very sensitive and sad rn fr ? but I can't risk traveling
— bay? CEE DAY (@baypsae) January 13, 2022
If reports are true that Adele cancelled with 24 hrs notice due to a diva strop with her management, she ought to reimburse her fans out of her own vast 200 million fortune. pic.twitter.com/frsHZ6y3jb
— Spirited1 (@helen_spirit1) January 22, 2022
I wish people were as sorry and sad that time-sensitive surgeries were getting cancelled or postponed due to covid19 modifications as they were that Adele’s Vegas residency was postponed due to covid19 modifications
— Avital Y. O'Glasser, MD FACP SFHM (she/her) (@aoglasser) January 21, 2022
Nothing like priorities is there @BBCNews – dear old filthy rich Adele bleating on about her cancelled concert takes priority on the news and hardly anything reported on the horrendous lorry queues in Dover as a result of Brexit catastrophe.
— shirley anne smith ? #FBPE #JohnsonOut (@oscarhero1801) January 22, 2022
drmiller
I don’t find Adele to be a Diva. I’m sorry but no. What about Adele over the past however many years she’s been in the spotlight, has even remotely resembled a Diva? If anything I’ve found her to be literally the opposite. I truly do not care if she had demands up to the last minute, it’s her name and her face and her reputation on the line. She has every right to ensure she gives her fans the show the Lu deserve that SHE feels is worthy. Having said that I do think it’s crap this decision was made 24 hours before; there is no way she and her team were suddenly so not ready the night before (rather than a week+ before). She absolutely should have canceled sooner. But Adele doesn’t pull this kind of crap. Ever. So lay off, she deserves some empathy people.
Jim
How about empathy for the many people who spent thousands of dollars?
Jim
Quit being a diva Adele.
People paid good money. Either give them a show when you said you would or give them their money back.
And I’m tired of this “perfection” BS. There’s no such thing.
So stop your crocodile tears and quit screwing your fans!!!
cuteguy
Good for Adele for standing her ground and not being pushed around by those greedy promoters
Fahd
I’m a big fan, but I think the gossip columnist is right – you don’t cancel the whole residency because of some personnel being temporarily out with Covid, especially Omnicron. It doesn’t make sense. Whatever happened to “the show must go on”?
johncp56
How can anyone get mad it is not her fault we still are getting Covid; it takes a huge crew i would think, let alone the orchestra! hope all well soon!! for everyone
Prax07
That’s Adele? Thought it was Sarah Paulson.
bachy
Artists who ‘make it big’ and have to helm worldwide tours, stadium concerts, a large staff/payroll and high profile residencies are basically singers thrust into the role of corporate CEO. Da fuq does Adele know about “set design”? They are not cut out for these kinds of demands and have no idea what they’re doing – leading to shambles like this one.
Artists who make it big and decide to “delegate” the business side to others so they can kick back and enjoy life frequently end up like Ellen, who took the humiliating fall for the lousy management style of her corporate team.
It ain’t pretty at the top. Becoming a big time success can be a real bish.
iminheatlikeacat
She’s clearly angered someone “high up” as there have been numerous articles running on an hourly basis since this news broke. I read a completely different story about her today regarding this cancelled show which paints her in a bad light – in fact, that’s what I thought this article would be about until I clicked on it.
jackscott
Adel is talented, however, her overacting about the cancellation seemed off. Just another diva!
Ginger Tom
Am I the only person in the world whose eyes glaze over and who suddenly feels inexplicably exhausted when he hears the name “Adele” or who inadvertently hears any of her songs?