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Adele Tributes George Michael After Rocky Start At 2017 GRAMMYs

By Amanda Wicks

After opening the 2017 GRAMMYs, Adele returned to the stage over an hour later to pay tribute to George Michael. But things didn't go exactly as planned. Adele stopped the performance after the first minute to start over because she was having trouble hearing herself.

Related: GRAMMY Winners 2017: See the Full List

"I'm sorry, I can't mess this up for him," she said, before insisting they start over and apologizing for cursing on live TV.

The moment echoed the issue she had while performing at the 2016 GRAMMYs. Adele swore afterward that she would stop singing and start over if she ever had major sound issues again. After a rocky second start, Adele regained her footing and nailed the tribute, performing a melancholy version of his 1996 song "Fastlove" backed by an orchestra.

As Adele sang, video of Michael from music videos, performances and appearances flashed behind her. At the end, the audience gave her a standing ovation and, in tears, she mouthed, "Thank you."

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