When Usher said “watch this” in “Confessions Pt. II,” I doubt he was foreshadowing the moment when he’d have to postpone the start of his “Past, Present, Future” tour like he did earlier this week.
And while fans may still be coming to terms with their disappointment, they might be giving the beloved R&B crooner a little bit more grace now that we’ve learned the reason why. In a post to his official Instagram and Twitter on Thursday, Usher revealed that he suffered a neck injury in the middle of rehearsals days before the tour was supposed to start. Per doctors’ orders, he has to take it easy until August 20.
“My hope was that with that with physical therapy and medical treatment, I would be able to overcome the injury and be ready for opening night. Unfortunately, the injury has not healed yet and my doctors have instructed me to not perform any shows this week. The good news is that the doctors are saying that with appropriate rest and treatment, I should be ready to commence the tour in Washington DC on August 20th,” he wrote in part.
He concluded by thanking has fans for their understanding and providing new dates for the Atlanta fans who missed out on seeing him perform this week.
As previously reported by The Root, this highly-anticipated tour comes on the heels of his performance at the 2024 ESSENCE Festival of Culture back in July. Prior to that, he lit up the field at Allegiant Stadium in Nevada as the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show performer. Months before that, he concluded his six-month residency in Vegas.