When opportunities come a’knocking, it’s important to embrace them. Such is the case for R&B crooner Usher, who after inking a deal to join The Voice last week, has now been forced to reschedule his upcoming European ‘Euphoria Tour’ with Rita Ora.
Press release after the jump…
Tuesday, September 25th – For Immediate Release:
Live Nation Global Touring announced today that the Usher Euphoria Tour in Europe will be rescheduled until autumn 2013.
Due to professional and personal commitments Usher will have to reschedule his upcoming European tour dates. With the recently confirmed commitment to the Voice, to ensure that his fans world-wide are treated to the best possible concert experience, the entire tour will be rescheduled to autumn 2013 with dates in both North America and Europe scheduled to run concurrently at that time.
“The feeling of euphoria that I get when performing for you is indescribable. I love each and every one of you and thank you for being there every step of the way. I truly appreciate and am grateful for your support while I take this time to focus on my children and continue to evolve with my fans. Evolve or evaporate.”
Love Usher.
The rescheduled Euphoria tour dates will be announced next year. Fans who have purchased tickets to the previously scheduled dates should return their ticket for refund at point of purchase. Tickets for the previously scheduled performances will not be valid at the rescheduled events.
Live Nation Global Touring wishes to apologize to any inconvenience to fans but look forward to seeing you all at the Euphoria Tour next year.
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We love us some Usher, but love us some good ol’ PR spin even more. For, while we don’t doubt the validity of any of the above, it’s clear that re-establishing himself on home-soil ranks highest on his agenda. And rightly so. For, while well-received by critics (and performing solidly Internationally), his latest LP ‘Looking 4 Myself’ has struggled to shift units in the US and has to-date sold 373,800 in America. Unfortunate as it’s a great body of work that seems to have fallen victim to the ever-annoying “he sold out” malarky – which folk stay spouting without acknowledging the presence of more Urban numbers than Dance cuts.
That said, with The Voice proving to be a potent career reviver (see: Christina Aguilera and Maroon 5), Usher’s turn as a coach on the next season could be just what what the Career Dr ordered. Here’s hoping he has new material to plug come next Spring. To be honest, we’d be disappointed if he signed on without that being the plan to begin with.
Randomness: Would anyone else like to see Mr Raymond serve up a double-disk ala ‘I Am…Sasha Fierce’ to more clearly appease both his Urban and Pop bases?