Shakira postpones European tour as vocal cord haemorrhage stops her from singing: 'It pains me'

Shakira has been forced to cancel her the European leg of her El Dorado World Tour due to a haemorrhage on her vocal chords.

The Hips Don't Lie singer, who was due to start the jaunt in Germany on 8 November but was forced to cancel her opening show, has now postponed her entire tour to avoid further damaging her voice.

The mother of two announced "with a heavy heart" that she is vocally exhausted, so doctors have ordered her to rest her voice to better aid her recovery.

She penned an emotional statement, in Spanish and English, revealing the extent of the damage to her right vocal cord, describing the experience as "difficult battle".

"Towards the end of October though, in the home stretch of my rehearsals, I felt a strange hoarseness that impeded my singing," she explained.

''The doctors, upon examination, detected that I had suffered a haemorrhage on my right vocal cord. I then went on vocal rest as recommended by the specialists in an attempt to recover in time for my first show in Cologne.

''Unfortunately, the haemorrhage doesn't appear to have reabsorbed and my nightmare continues. At the moment I find myself in a difficult battle as I try to fully recover. It pains me not to be able to sing this month, for those have done even the impossible to get tickets and accompany me throughout the different countries of Europe."

''In all the years I've been singing, I've never been faced with situation like this. As such, and with a heavy heart, I must announce that I find myself obliged to postpone my European tour until 2018, to allow my body several necessary weeks, dedicated to my complete recovery.

She went on to thank fans for their unwavering support and vowed to return to the stage.

''I hope to overcome this difficult trial and to return to the stage as soon as possible, to once again hear your voices singing along with mine," she wrote. 'I love all of you very much and I will always remember those who have been by my side during this time, offering their friendship and affection. Shakira."