From Drake to Pink, 6 pop stars who’ve had ‘disrespectful’ fan interactions on stage

Items ranging from ashes to sex toys have been pelted on stage in recent weeks

Drake has become the latest celebrity to be bombarded with inappropriate items thrown on stage during a large performance.

One month after Bebe Rexha was hit in the face by a flying phone, the “Hotline Bling” rapper was pelted with a phone while performing in Chicago on Wednesday (5 July).

In recent weeks, other performers have had similar incidents – some of which have turned violent – during live gigs.

In June, Rexha needed stitches in her face following her own phone incident, while Ava Max said she scratched the inside of her eye when someone jumped onto the stage and slapped her days later.

Other artists were quick to condemn the string of attacks, including Charlie Puth and Adele.

Puth tweeted: “This trend of throwing things at performers while they are on stage must come to an end. (Bebe, Ava, AND NOW Kelsea Ballerini…) It’s so disrespectful and very dangerous. Please just enjoy the music I beg of you…”

During her Weekends with Adele Las Vegas residency on Saturday (1 July), the “Hello” singer said that audiences had forgotten “show etiquette” as she jokingly “dared” fans to throw items at her.

“Have you noticed how people are forgetting f***ing show etiquette at the moment and just throwing s*** on stage?” Adele asked.

“Have you seen that? I f***ing dare you, I dare you throw something at me, I’ll f***ing kill you.”

Bebe Rexha

Singer Rexha had been performing in New York as part of her Best F’n Night of My Life tour on 17 June when a phone flew through the air and into her face.

In a video shot by another audience member and circulating on social media, Rexha could be seen falling to her knees at the impact.

She was taken to hospital where she received stitches above her left eye and later shared a selfie on Instagram with a black eye and medical tape over her left eyebrow.

Following the incident, a 27-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with the attack.

Ava Max

On 20 June, US singer Ava Max was performing in Los Angeles when an unknown man jumped onto the stage and “slapped me so hard that he scratched the inside of my eye”.

In footage shared on social media, the “Sweet But Psycho” singer is seen briefly touching her cheek after the man appeared to strike her.

He was removed by security, with Max continuing her dance routine.

The 29-year-old responded to the altercation on Twitter, writing: “He slapped me so hard that he scratched the inside of my eye. He’s never coming to a show again... thank you to the fans for being spectacular tonight in LA though!!”

Pink

The on-stage incidents Pink had during her BST Hyde Park shows in London at the end of June (24 and 25 June) were less violent, more bizarre.

The singer was left speechless after picking up a plastic bag that a fan had thrown on stage during her show during her song “Like a Pill”, which contained the powdery grey ashes of a fan’s cremated mother.

“Is this your mom?” Pink asked the person in the audience. When they seemingly confirmed this, the singer said: “I don’t know how I feel about this.”

The singer then returned to the main stage, adding: “I have to say, that was a first.”

Pink also received another unusual gift on stage, after a fan gave her a giant wheel of Brie de Meux cheese.

Kelsea Ballerini

Country-pop singer Kelsea Ballerini was hit in the eye by a “friendship bracelet” while performing at the Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden in Boise on Wednesday 28 June.

The singer, 29, was forced to briefly pause her live show as she reacted to the shocking event. She then continued playing the acoustic guitar while turning to the back of the stage, before she made a “stop” hand signal to the crowd and exited.

Ballerini later assured fans that she was physically “fine”, but had been left “scared” by the incident.

“Hi. I’m fine. Someone threw a bracelet, it hit me in the eye, and it more so just scared me than hurt me,” she wote on Instagram.

“We all have triggers and layers of fears way deeper than what is shown and that’s why I walked offstage to calm down and make sure myself, band and crew, and the crowd all felt safe to continue.”

Ballerini added: “That’s all I ever want, is for shows to feel like a safe place for us all. I love you and appreciate all of the concern, let’s make the last two shows of the Heartfirst tour the best yet.”

Lil Nas X

Rapper Lil Nas X joined the list of celebritises to be bombarded on stage while performing at Lollapalooza Sweden on Saturday (1 July).

When a fan threw an item on stage, the musician – real name Montero Hill – paused his set to retrieve the item.

Upon realising a sex toy had been thrown at him, he said: “Who threw their p***y on stage?”

The “Old Town Road” singer then asked: “What’s wrong with y’all?” However, he appeared to see the funny side, changing his Twitter name to “p***y”.

As a result, some fans have suggested that Lil Nas X’s altercation could have been staged.

Drake

Drake had stopped off in Chicago as part of his It’s All a Blur tour on Wednesday (5 July) when he became the latest victim of a phone attack.

While he performed a rendition of Ginuwine’s song “So Anxious”, the singer was struck on the arm by the flying device.

In the clip, which was shared on TikTok with the caption: “Someone threw a phone at papi,” Drake seemed unbothered and did not interrupt his performance.