R&B singer Ne-Yo's concert in Manchester, England, was cut short late last week when he burst into tears and quickly left the stage. According to a BBC correspondent, Ne-Yo had been struggling to continue his performance for some time and appeared physically ill before breaking down Thursday night (July 17).
The singer left the stage, only to return and announce through tears that, although he had never had to abandon a performance before, he would not be able to carry on, resulting in some shockingly insensitive booing from the audience. The show's promoter promised that the concert would be rescheduled.
So what prompted this outburst? Was he consumed with guilt about last year's reckless driving charge? Having some personal problems, as this recent, bafflingly introspective blog post might suggest? Overcome by the poignancy of his own Michael Jackson tribute? Does he just have swine flu?
Well, here's what Digital Spy quotes Ne-Yo as saying about the breakdown:
"I got on stage energised and ready to go, even though for the last five days I've been dealing with a sinus infection. I paid it no real mind, and kept on going, like I always do.
"My voice couldn't take it. From the first song I knew something was wrong. I shoulda stopped there, but I come from a school where no matter what, the show must go on [sic].
"It wasn't until about four songs in that I came to the painful realisation that my voice was done, literally nothing left, and that I would have to stop the show. I've never had to stop a show, never dreamed I'd ever have to.
"So when I had to walk out on that stage and tell 12,000 of the people responsible for making me who I am that I could not perform for them, it literally broke my heart. I cried harder than I have in a very long time with no shame whatsoever."
The singer left the stage, only to return and announce through tears that, although he had never had to abandon a performance before, he would not be able to carry on, resulting in some shockingly insensitive booing from the audience. The show's promoter promised that the concert would be rescheduled.
So what prompted this outburst? Was he consumed with guilt about last year's reckless driving charge? Having some personal problems, as this recent, bafflingly introspective blog post might suggest? Overcome by the poignancy of his own Michael Jackson tribute? Does he just have swine flu?
Well, here's what Digital Spy quotes Ne-Yo as saying about the breakdown:
"I got on stage energised and ready to go, even though for the last five days I've been dealing with a sinus infection. I paid it no real mind, and kept on going, like I always do.
"My voice couldn't take it. From the first song I knew something was wrong. I shoulda stopped there, but I come from a school where no matter what, the show must go on [sic].
"It wasn't until about four songs in that I came to the painful realisation that my voice was done, literally nothing left, and that I would have to stop the show. I've never had to stop a show, never dreamed I'd ever have to.
"So when I had to walk out on that stage and tell 12,000 of the people responsible for making me who I am that I could not perform for them, it literally broke my heart. I cried harder than I have in a very long time with no shame whatsoever."
