Update, 6/29/23 12:39 p.m. ET:
Kelsea Ballerini gave fans an update on how she’s doing after she was hit with a bracelet on stage during an Idaho concert.
“Hi. I’m fine,” she wrote via her Instagram Story on Thursday, June 29. “Someone threw a bracelet, it hit me in the eye, and it more so just scared me than hurt me. 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.”
She then echoed what she told the crowd after the incident, writing: “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.”
In another Story, she shared a screenshot of Instagram commenters theorizing that the concertgoer threw the bracelet because of Ballerini’s politics. “It’s sad that this happened but maybe she should stay true and not go woke,” wrote one social media user. Another said she shouldn’t have posted about the incident because there were “no stitches.”
Ballerini responded to the remarks in her caption, writing, “Also just gonna leave this right here. A sad, scary world we live in.”
Original story continues below:
Kelsea Ballerini is the latest musician to be struck in the face during a performance after a string of similar incidents at concerts.
The country star, 29, was on stage in Boise, Idaho, on Wednesday, June 28, when a member of the audience threw an object, seemingly a bracelet, that hit Ballerini in the head. In video of the incident shared via Twitter, Ballerini paused her performance of “If You Go Down (I’m Going Down Too)” as members of her band came over to check on her. After several more seconds, Ballerini exited the stage.
When she returned to the stage later following a costume change, Ballerini addressed the incident before playing her next song. “Can we talk about what just happened?” she began, per a TikTok video of the concert. “All I care about is keeping everyone safe. So, if you ever don’t feel safe, please let someone around you know. There’s security everywhere tonight. If anyone’s pushing too much or you just have that gut feeling or anything. Always flag it.”
Ballerini didn’t specify what hit her, but she advised the audience to be kinder. “Don’t throw things,” she said. “I always want shows of mine — every show, for every artist, but I’m in control of this one — I just want it to be a safe place for everyone. We have little kids here. Can you help me do that tonight, please?”
The incident happened days after Bebe Rexha was hit in the face with a cell phone during a June 18 performance in New York City. One day later, the pop star, 33, shared a photo of her stitched-up injury and black eye via Instagram, writing, “I’m good.”
Nicolas Malvagna, who threw the phone, was arrested and charged with assault. At his arraignment on June 20, he claimed he was participating in a TikTok trend where you throw your phone at a celebrity so they’ll take a selfie with it before passing it back.
“As a fan, Mr. Malvagna’s sole intention was to have Ms. Rexha take photos with his phone and return it as a keepsake,” Malvagna’s lawyer, Todd Spodek, said in a statement. “It was never his intention to injure Ms. Rehxa.”
Malvagna was released without bail following his arrest and is due back in court on Monday, July 31.
Days after Rexha left her show with a black eye, Ava Max was performing in Los Angeles when an audience member climbed on stage and seemingly struck her in the face. “He slapped me so hard that he scratched the inside of my eye,” the “Sweet But Psycho” songtress, 29, tweeted on June 21. “He’s never coming to a show again.”
Earlier this week, Pink dealt with her own unusual fan interaction — albeit a less physically injurious one. While performing in London’s Hyde Park on Sunday, June 25, a concertgoer tossed a baggie filled with gray ashes on stage.
“This is your mom?!” the “Raise Your Glass” singer, 43, said in response, seemingly visibly confused by the gesture. “I don’t know how I feel about this!” She then placed the bag down on the floor before continuing her performance.
