Fans of Nicole Scherzinger have hit out at the former Pussycat Dolls star, claiming she took to the stage late at the Royal Albert Hall and did not apologise for the delay
Some fans who attended Nicole Scherzinger’s sold-out Royal Albert Hall concert last night (October 7) have criticised the former Pussycat Dolls star, claiming her performance was tarnished by a late start with “no apology” and a shorter set than expected.
The 47-year-old’s show was billed as “a very special one-off performance” and was her first major solo gig in the UK for 13 years. Beforehand, the concert venue enthused: “An Evening With Nicole Scherzinger promises to be a triumphant return to the UK for the singer – a chance for fans to get the full view of her career up to now as she reminisces on countless musical theatre sensations and her reign as a powerhouse pop diva.”
However, technical issues seemed to affect the evening and Nicole’s performance was delayed for a short period of time, which MyLondon understands was less than an hour.
The disruption appeared to leave a bitter taste for some attendees, who were forced to leave before the show concluded due to the hold-ups. Taking to TikTok during the event, meanwhile, fan Chris Jones shared his bewilderment after claiming Nicole was tardy in late to the stage.
“Performance delayed by 1hr,” he wrote in a caption. “Sings for 25 mins then decided it’s time for an interval (currently at 30 mins). I’m assuming she’s coming back?”
He subsequently shared a follow-up video in which he stated: “Worst £150 ever spent at a concert. Those 25 mins weren’t even all singing – just talking about all the awards she’s won. I feel for the people who have travelled far for this.”
Chris further claimed there was “no apology” for Nicole’s tardy appearance, whilst confirming that the performer did return to the stage “for another 25 mins” before “disappearing off stage again.”
He concluded, by alleging: “Choir awkwardly [tried] to engage the crowd as everyone tries to figure out if the show is over or not.”
Fellow concert-goers seemed equally frustrated by the circumstances too, with one TikTok user confessing: “I left after the first half. Didn’t know how long the interval was going to be and had a train to catch. Cost me £4.50 per minute for what I saw. Used to be a big fan but this was just not acceptable. No apology, no explanation.”
Similarly a second person added: “We left early in the second half after her 35 minute interval. She talked for a good few minutes and kept reminding the audience of her Olivier and Tony awards between songs. Only came to London to see her, what a let down. No apologies for the late start to the show or the extended break. What a waste of money!”
A third individual raged: “Total let down we left after 30 min interval wait along with lots of others. Complete waste of money have written in for refund.”
Whilst a fourth fan questioned: “I don’t understand how artists can be late when performing in such big shows… doesn’t the venue have strict rules? I am sure Royal Albert Hall ain’t cheap.”
Others rallied behind the star, however, including one TikTok user who declared: “She was late! Yes – but there was technical issues. Soundcheck finished late, house was late opening. So everything was delayed. Show was supposed to start at 19:30, but the meet and greet didn’t start until 19:20.
“Then act 1 was 20:20-20:55, interval until 21:30, finished 22:30. Original timings was 19:30-21:30 including the 30 minute interval.”
Another wrote in Nioole’s defence: “Apparently the delay was technical, not intentional and she performed an extra hour to makeup for it.”
And a third noted: “She doesn’t have any filler performers for her breaks (most likely her costume changes).”
Over on Nicole’s Instagram page, one admirer admitted she felt feeling torn about the evening’s proceedings. “Nicole, your voice was absolutely incredible at the concert last night – truly spine-tingling!” she exclaimed. “It was the 4th time I’ve seen you live over the years, and your vocals never fail to amaze me. You’re such an exceptional performer, and I’ve been a huge fan for 20 years.”
However, she went on to add: “That said, I did want to share a bit of honest feedback. The late start to the show meant it ran much later than expected, and sadly I had to leave before the end to catch my last train home. I travelled over 100 miles to be there – and I’m sure many others travelled even further – so it was really disappointing to miss the finale.
“I think even a brief acknowledgement or apology for the delay would have gone a long way with the audience. It’s such a shame, because instead of being able to fully relax and enjoy the whole performance, I found myself anxiously checking the time. I’m still so glad I got to experience part of your amazing show, but I do think some lessons could be learned from this. It just left a bit of a sour note on what should have been an unforgettable night.”
Representatives for Scherzinger chose not to respond when approached for comment.
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