Alicia Keys is blaming New York’s unpredictable weather for her bad throat - claiming a live outdoor gig in the city left her with swollen vocal chords.

The singer cancelled gigs in Pennsylvania on Tuesday and Ohio on Thursday, after an early morning Manhattan performance for TV show Today on Monday left her unable to sing.

Her spokesperson Theola Borden reveals, "It was really cold outside. That was a bit strenuous on her.

"Afterwards, she went to rehearsal in Pittsburgh but wasn’t feeling up to par. She felt she needed to cancel rather than give a sub-par performance."

Disappointed fans affected by the concert cancellations were shocked to spot the singer guest-hosting BET network show 106 & Park on Wednesday night  - but Borden insists she wasn’t scamming her fans.

She adds, "She wanted to honor her commitment to BET. Co-hosting (106 & Park) took no more than 30 minutes of a speaking voice. That doesn’t compare to singing for two straight hours."

Speaking on the show, Keys explained how the tour is stressing her out: "It takes a lot of organizing. It’s taking all the music that I have written and making it visual. It’s crazy."

Keys is expected to return to the stage Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.