Dermot Kennedy has announced the rescheduling of the rest of his US tour to avoid suffering “long-lasting damage” to his vocal cords.
The Irish singer-songwriter, 34, had next been due to play in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday night. However, Kennedy has shared a statement on Instagram that said he needed to postpone the remainder of his shows after an infection left his vocal cords “very swollen”.
Specialist visit confirms laryngitis
He wrote: “Hey guys, I went to see another specialist in Atlanta today, and turns out the laryngitis still isn’t gone, and because of the infection my vocal cords are still very swollen.
“It’s frustrating, because I’ve been on vocal rest all week, which I thought would do enough, but apparently it hasn’t.
“I can’t sing right now, and I wouldn’t be able to make it through a show, and if I did force myself to carry on without healing fully, I’d just end up doing real long-lasting damage.”
Rescheduling and gratitude to fans
“At this point the best option is to reschedule the remaining dates of this tour so I can come back and give you the show you deserve when the time is right,” he continued.
“I feel very grateful and lucky to have supporters who are in this with me for the long run, so it’s important I heal up so I can deliver my best when I’m right again. I hope you understand. I believe you will, and that’s why I’m lucky. I don’t do this lightly.”
Kennedy said: “For the shows we did get to, I truly loved them, and this tour has been my favourite ever. I saw a lot of comments saying they had never seen me smile so much on stage, and it was honestly just ‘cause I was enjoying these shows a LOT.
“For some reason with this tour, more than others, I was terrified we wouldn’t have big crowds, and so I was blown away every night when I walked out to so many people. I thank you for that feeling.”
Remaining dates and apology
He had been due to perform five more shows on the tour – in Atlanta, as well as in Nashville, Austin, Irving and Bellvue. The singer said postponing the rest of the tour dates “made me sad to have to do this”, especially after he “felt so good touring all year”.
“But I got sick, so I’m literally just injured right now, and I can’t do my job. I sincerely apologise for messing with your travel plans and hotels etc. Please hold on to your tickets, I take great pride in keeping my word, and these shows will happen, just not right now,” he added.
Kennedy began his career busking on the streets of Dublin and is best known for singles such as Outnumbered, Giants and Power Over Me. In April he also became the first Irish solo artist to reach number one with his first three studio albums – Without Fear, Sonder and The Weight Of The Woods.
