Country music star Kelsea Ballerini became the latest victim of an alarming trend at live music performances — she was struck in the face by an object thrown from the crowd.
A fan captured the incident during her Wednesday evening concert in Boise, Idaho.
Video shows a visibly shaken Ballerini reacting in disbelief before temporarily leaving the stage.
Parade reported the potentially dangerous interruption shocked her friends and fans. Ballerini retreated backstage briefly while thousands in the audience waited to see if the singer was seriously injured.
Fox News reported Ballerini posted on Instagram that the thrown object was a bracelet: “Someone threw a bracelet, it hit me in the eye, and it more so just scared me than hurt me.”
When she returned to the stage, Ballerini urged her fans to prioritize safety and refrain from throwing objects. Though young, the consummate professional completed her performance.
“If you ever don’t feel safe, please let someone around you know,” Ballerini said. “There’s security everywhere tonight. If anyone’s pushing too much or you just have that gut feeling or anything – always flag it. Don’t throw things, you know?”
Ballerini added: “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. Will you help me do that tonight, please?”
Insiders report the incident clearly rattled the country star.
Kelsea Ballerini was hit in the face with object while performing onstage. pic.twitter.com/6hBXxQ67rH
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 29, 2023
In a follow-up post on Instagram, Ballerini confirmed that she was okay but shaken.
This incident at Ballerini’s concert draws attention to a concerning trend in the music industry, where throwing objects onto the stage during live concerts is becoming worryingly frequent—Pink, Bebe Rexha and Ava Max are all recent assault victims.
Critics have swiftly taken to social media to condemn these actions, voicing strong support for artists’ safety and advocating for better behavior from concert attendees.
