baby rexha was spotted with goggles at her concert on Friday, and it wasn’t just a fashion statement. Instead, it was a reminder of recent damaging interactions between artists and some overzealous fans who crossed the line at recent live shows.
Rexha is one of several artists who have recently been punched in the face at their concerts. Videos of the events went viral, causing viewers to wonder, once again, if people had forgotten how to behave at concerts. Artists, fans and experts alike are asking concertgoers to be respectful of the musicians they come to see, pointing out that many people forget that celebrities are human too.
“This fad of throwing things at performers while they are on stage needs to come to an end. (Drink, Ava, AND NOW Kelsea Ballerini…) It’s so disrespectful and so dangerous. Please, enjoy the music I ask of you…” pop singer charlie puth he tweeted last week.
While throwing objects onto the stage at concerts isn’t new, experts say the way we feel about the act and the way we treat performers is changing.
“People forget that pop stars are people,” said Kristin Lieb, professor of marketing at Emerson College in Boston and author of “Gender, Branding, and the Modern Music Industry. “The public thinks: ‘I paid for this. She needs to do what I want now.’”
Fans online raised concerns for the safety of touring artists, specifically female musicians, several of whom pointing out that most of the viral videos involved women being beaten.
Ava Max and Kelsea Ballerini were also punched in the face while performing. Rexha and Ballerini were hit by thrown objects, while Max said a concertgoer slapped her across the face.
Others lamented that concertgoers tried to get “TikTok moments” by releasing articles to get good videos. Many have also simply urged people to stop throwing stuff at artists altogether.
“Can people just…stop throwing things at artists during their concerts? Like, you guys are getting WEIRD with all of this. It’s scary, honestly.” one person tweeted.
“This whole era of throwing things at performers while they are on stage needs to end. Concerts are supposed to be a safe space and we need to provide that to each other and to the artists that help us create that safe space.” another tweeted.
Morgan Milardo, managing director of the Berklee Popular Music Institute at the Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts, said artists often understand that throwing objects at concerts is an occupational hazard to some degree.
Milardo does not believe that the fans are acting with malice in most cases; rather they are trying to show their adoration to his favorite artists. However, he added, the desire for virality fuels many aspects of life today.
As a society, we need to work to get past these attention-grabbing moments and look beyond that and really get back to the root of why we go to concerts.
Morgan Milardo, CEO of the Berklee Popular Music Institute
“As a society, we need to work to get past these attention-grabbing moments and look beyond and really get back to the root of why we go to concerts,” Milardo said. “And it’s not so that we can have a viral moment on TikTok for ourselves. Concerts are supposed to offer a community where people can come together to share the magic of live music.”
Lieb said that some fans, like the one who injured Rexha by throwing a phone, are more interested in “prioritizing entertainment over the comfort of an artist.”
Lieb said that people want female artists, in particular, to be vulnerable, kind and open with their fans. The expectation, she said, is that “she should be able to take whatever” fans want from her.
People’s perceptions of throwing objects have also changed as they become more aware of concert safety issues after high-profile incidents like the Astroworld tragedy.
“Every day we turn on our phones and televisions and we see news of violence in the world,” Milardo said. “I think because of this, these kinds of circumstances that happen at concerts are kind of a reminder of why people can feel more unsafe in large gatherings and crowds than before.”
Some fans wondered if the recent incidents of artists being beaten up could affect the way concerts are organized. Several fans feared that such behavior would push artists to put up higher barricades at concerts or stop touring altogether.
“Stop throwing things at our girls or they will make us go back to concerts on Zoom”, one person tweeted.
Lieb speculated that the behavior could encourage artists to institute new rules for their concerts, such as no-phone policies or even nets on stage to make sure people don’t hit them.
“There’s a lot to lose if you don’t behave properly,” Lieb said.
Will things change soon?
It’s unlikely, Milardo said, though individual artists may choose to incorporate more security measures based on their own experiences.
Still, “with every incident that happens, the industry responds in a really professional and appropriate way to help keep everyone safe,” Milardo said.
Ultimately, concert culture is determined by fan-driven norms, which means change is in the hands of the fans themselves.
“It’s supposed to be a community-building moment where love and respect for the artist is shared throughout the place,” Milardo said. “We shouldn’t have to worry about a chicken nugget hitting someone in the eye or the back of the neck, right? I mean, it’s more than these viral sensations on social media platforms. And with that being said, ultimately all concertgoers are responsible for keeping each other safe.”
