Sam Smith is "heartbroken" after having to cancel their concert at Manchester's AO Arena due to voice issues, which left some fans on edge.
The popular 31-year-old singer has embarked on a multiple-stop tour in support of their fourth studio album, Gloria.
After the fourth song during Wednesday's show, they stopped and the lights in the arena went off, plunging the audience into darkness.
Initially, there was speculation there'd been a power cut before it was confirmed the show had been halted due to vocal issues. The dramatic end to the show comes a few days after the sixth anniversary of the Manchester bombing attack in 2017, with some of Sam's fans expressing fear in the arena.
In an Instagram story after the cancelled show, they said: "Dearest sailors, I don't know what to say honestly.
Inside Sam Smith’s stunning Buckinghamshire home with leafy garden and huge book collection
"I fought off a virus a few weeks ago and since then we have travelled across Europe and had such incredible shows.
"Today in soundcheck I felt fine and was so excited to give Manchester an amazing show tonight, with a special surprise at the end.
"During my third song, I noticed something wrong with my voice. I prayed it was just my voice waking up for the show but into the fourth song I could feel something was really wrong.
"I came off stage and have tried everything to get my voice back in gear but it won't.
"I am honestly heartbroken I couldn’t finish the show tonight for you all. I love you all. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry x."
Fans flocked to social media to share their thoughts on the dramatic turn of events. Posting a video taken inside the arena, one concert-goer said: "Sam Smith concert at MEN arena has had a power cut everybody in darkness".
Another said: "Absolutely gutted xx but I hope sam smith Health is well", while a third commented: "Oh no, what a drama".
One fan penned: "Apparently lights down, no immediate explanation. How scary for fans in the AO Arena Manchester, just days after the 6th anniversary of losing 22 people. #SamSmith #Insensitive."
Another said: "It was hideous how it happened and how the crowd had to wait to be told after they [were] sounding literally incredible – but they've got to look after themselves and their voice ultimately. The promo for the Madonna song was up on digital billboards across Manchester too…"
And another fan, who was unimpressed, added: "@samsmith @AOArena just not ok I had my 13 year old sat with me in the dark for 20 min before another 20 in the light on nearly to the day of the awful things that happened and you had us sat in the dark genuinely hope Sam is ok but damn handled awfully #SamSmith."
On Instagram, one fan penned a plea for empathy: "If you are coming to comment about Sam's Manchester show being cancelled, please try to have empathy and understanding that Sam would only have cancelled out of necessity, and is just as sad as you to disappoint their fans. They are just a human and some things are out of human control".
Prior to the concert, the singer had teased a "surprise" would take place towards the close of the show at Manchester's AO Arena, and appeared to suggest 64-year-old American singer-songwriter and music icon Madonna could be joining them on stage.
Footage posted to their social media accounts before the show simply read "Sam and Madonna".
Smith, who has had eight UK number one singles including Unholy and Too Good At Goodbyes, is set to play Ovo Hydro in Glasgow on Thursday and Resorts World Arena in Birmingham on Saturday.
The BRIT award-winning artist then has a series of festival dates in places such as Warsaw, Switzerland, Portugal and Latvia over June and July.
Smith had previously cancelled their Glasgow show at Ovo Hydro and Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena date in April due to illness.
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