Madonna canceled the final scheduled date of her North American Madame X residency tour after the singer suffered what she described as “indescribable” pain during a show on Saturday night. “As I climbed the ladder to sing ‘Batuka’ On Saturday night in Miami I was in tears from the pain of my injuries, Which has been indescribable for the past few days,” she said in the caption to an Instagram video posted on Tuesday (Dec. 24) in which the 61-year-old star appeared to struggle to climb a ladder leading up to the stage of the Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater, where she was performing the sixth of a planned seven shows; the seventh gig was slated to take place on Sunday (Dec. 22).
“With every song I sang, I said a prayer that I would make it to the next and get thru the show. My prayers were answered, And I made it. I consider myself a warrior I never quit, I never give in, I never give up!! However this time I have to listen to my body And accept that my pain is a warning I want to say how deeply sorry I am to all my fans. For having to cancel my last show,” she continued. Madonna said she’d spent the previous two days with doctors getting scans, ultrasounds and Xrays, as well as enduring lots of “poking and probing and more tears.”
The cancelation of the Miami date is the latest setback on the tour that has found the pop icon setting up shop at a number of intimate venues across the nation, kicking off with a nearly month-long run of shows at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in New York, followed by stints in Chicago, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Boston and Philadelphia. The Miami shows were the final gigs before the production moves on to an 8-show run at the Lisbon Coliseum in Lisbon, Portugal, slated to kick off on Jan. 12, followed by long stretches in London and Paris in support of her 14th studio album, Madame X.
“They have made it very clear to me that if l’am to continue my tour— I must rest for as long as possible so that I don’t inflict further and Irreversible damage to my body,” she continued in her note. “I have never let an injury stop me from performing but this time i have to accept that there is no shame in being human and having to press the pause button………….. I thank you all for your understanding, love and support. As the Words to Batuka go……….. It’s a Long Road……….Lord Have Mercy—-. Things have got to change.
And they will because MADAME ❌. is a fighter!!”
The Madame X tour has featured several show cancelations due to injuries and production issues, with three gigs in Boston scotched due to doctor’s orders between Nov. 30 and Dec. 2 after Madonna said she was suffering from “overwhelming” pain. The kick-off of the residency swing was pushed back in August due to production delays and several dates into the BAM run in New York Madonna had to cancel a show due to a knee injury, with the opening show in Los Angeles on Nov. 12 falling off the schedule as well.
Madonna has not specified the nature of the pain she was experiencing in Miami and a spokesperson could not be reached for additional comment at press time.
