Gladys Knight is slowing down.
The legendary “Empress of Soul,” 82, announced she plans to dramatically cut back on live performances after fans raised concerns about her health and behavior during recent concerts.
The announcement came just hours after TMZ reported that some concertgoers had become worried after Knight allegedly appeared “totally out of it” during several performances. Some fans even questioned whether the music icon should still be touring.
Knight did not directly address those claims in her announcement.
“After much soul searching I’ve decided that I will be easing into fewer performances while focusing on transitioning into the next stage of my career and life moving forward,” the seven-time Grammy winner wrote in a statement posted to Instagram.
Knight said she wants to spend more time away from the road with the people closest to her.
“I’ll be spending more time on projects with my husband and visiting with my grandbabies and am looking forward to this new era,” she said.
For now, Knight is still scheduled to perform in Dallas on Sept. 4, with additional concerts booked through November.
The sudden decision comes after an extraordinary career spanning roughly three-quarters of a century.
Knight began performing when she was just 7 years old before becoming one of the most recognizable voices in American music. Over the decades, she has released more than 38 albums and won seven Grammy Awards.
She also remained remarkably active well into her later years, recording four solo albums over the past decade.
Knight used her announcement to thank the generations of fans who helped turn her childhood dream into a legendary career.
“I’d like to take a moment, in advance, to thank all my fans over this last three quarters of a century for making a little girl’s dream come true and supporting her every step of the way,” she wrote.
Knight stopped short of saying she was retiring altogether, instead describing the move as the beginning of a new chapter in her life.
But after recent concerns from fans and her decision to scale back her demanding performance schedule, many will undoubtedly be watching closely when the soul legend returns to the stage.
