Kelly Clarkson Debuts Vegas Residency After Canceling: ‘It Took Us a Minute’

Kelly Clarkson was back in fine form over the weekend as she launched her new Las Vegas residency.

The singer kicked off “Kelly Clarkson: Studio Sessions” a week late after abruptly canceling her July 4 and 5 shows when prep and rehearsals took a toll on her voice.

Kelly took the stage at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Friday night and opened with “Me” and “Walkaway.”

Page Six says she then told the crowd, “It took us a minute. I’m so sorry. I know some of y’all had tickets for last weekend’s shows. We can’t help our bodies sometimes. You know, we get sick, and that happens.”

She went on, “This is my favorite residency, my favorite show we’ve ever put together, because I love being in the studio, and that’s where this whole idea came from.”

Billboard adds that later in the set she commented, “I sound incredible because I canceled last weekend.”

She was feeling so good, in fact, that the magazine says she even accepted a glass of tequila from an audience member!

While singing “Didn’t I,” she accepted the double shot, saying, “I don’t know how the show’s gonna go. I don’t drink much… But it’s rude to say no. I got heat in my chest — I’m not gonna lie. It was such a non-shot, but just a glass of tequila.”

The magazine described her show as a two-hour retrospective of the “American Idol” winner’s 23-year career, with about 80 minutes of singing and 40 minutes of storytelling and banter.

Following her first show, Clarkson wrote on Instagram, "Thank you so much for such a magical first night! I’m still on such a high from all the fans! I had so much fun 🤩 "

After Kelly canceled her show, Page Six insiders said her vocals played a major role in the cancellation, but added she was also fighting “hidden battles.”

One source said, “She belts out every single note. She’s an incredibly powerful singer, but it takes its toll on her vocal cords, and she’s come incredibly close to needing surgery before. She cannot risk damaging her cords further — she’s on thin ice.”

Another insider said that Kelly, who recently went through a tumultuous divorce from Brandon Blackstock, is facing issues beyond her voice.