NEW YORK  — Nicki Minaj canceled her appearance at the weekend’s V Festival in the United Kingdom because of damage to her vocal cords.

Her representative says in an email that Minaj had to back out of her shows on Saturday and Sunday because of “strained vocal chords.”

Minaj performed a free concert in New York City on Wednesday, though she had been advised by her doctor to rest.

Her representative now says her voice is “worse,” and that recent X-rays show that the singer-rapper must “rest her voice for a few days.”