The year of projectiles: 11 times fans hurled items at musicians in 2023

“I f–cking dare you,” Adele warned a crowd during a July show, to discourage them from throwing objects at her onstage. The Grammy winner appeared to be joking, strolling across the stage in Las Vegas with a T-shirt cannon and firing merchandise into the audience. However, she was addressing the epidemic of fans throwing objects at singers, which reached a fever pitch this past year.

From Bebe Rexha being struck by a phone while performing, to Drake collecting bra after bra on his tour, artists were hit with a number of objects thrown by concertgoers in 2023. These are the strange, unruly and dangerous occurrences from a year filled with projectiles at shows.

Ari Lennox

While opening for Rod Wave at a November show, the soul singer was nearly pelted by a water bottle. “Bitch, don’t f–king play with me, stop that shit,” she said to the audience. As security searched for the perpetrator, she continued: “Don’t you ever disrespect a beautiful Black woman on the f–cking stage like that, I will f–cking f–ck you up,” she added. The following night, she wore a helmet onstage, making an eye-catching statement about the incident.

Taylor Swift

At her November show in Buenos Aires for her Eras tour, a fan tossed an object at the singer, causing her to pause the performance of “Evermore.” “Just because communication means having gentle, healthy boundaries, it really freaks me out when stuff gets thrown on the stage, because if it’s on the stage then a dancer can trip on it,” she told the audience. “I love that you brought presents and that is so nice, but just can you please not throw them on the stage. I love you so much.”

Beyoncé

A mysterious clothing item was tossed at the singer during a stop on her Renaissance tour in September. Although she did not acknowledge the garment while performing “Drunk in Love,” her backup dancers were seemingly unhappy about the projectile, and confronted the fan who threw it. 

Drake

On many of the nights during his It’s All a Blur Tour, Drake fans tossed their bras onstage at the rapper. The artist eventually amassed so many of the undergarments that he posted a photo showing off his packed collection. At his Montreal show in July, he joked about the lingerie with the crowd: “I would just like to say before I go onto this next song, this is the first stage where I don’t have no bras, and I’m deeply disappointed,” he said, before warning fans that although bras were welcomed, other items were not. “But don’t start throwing shoes and phones and shit,” he added.

Latto

The 777 rapper was performing her song “Put It on da Floor” during a festival in July when an object was flung at her onstage. “Want your ass beat? Throw it again,” she rapped to the crowd as a warning. “Throw it again, I’ma beat your ass,” she continued, not missing a beat.

Cardi B

Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B asked fans to splash her with water when taking the stage on a hot Las Vegas day in July. However, one fan sprayed her in the face with a drink, prompting the rap star to throw her mic at the culprit. The fan apologized following the altercation, but then filed a police report. However, the case was closed shortly after due to insufficient evidence.

Lil Nas X

While performing in Stockholm in July, a concertgoer threw a sex toy at the Grammy winner. He was not hit by the object, but picked it up and examined it before asking the crowd who had tossed it onstage. 

Harry Styles

At his Vienna show for Love on Tour in July, Harry Styles was hit in the eye by a flying object, causing him to double over in pain before exiting the stage. He did not verbally address the incident.

Pink

Pink appeared to be shocked when a fan tossed a bag of their mother’s ashes onstage in June. “This is your mom? I don’t know how I feel about this,” she said, before placing the bag at the front of the stage. The shenanigans continued the following week, when the singer was gifted a wheel of Brie cheese at a concert in London. However, her reaction to the food was happier: she mouthed “I love you” to the fan after accepting the dairy product.

Bebe Rexha

In June, while performing in New York, the pop singer was hit in the face by a cellphone. She shared images of her injuries — which required stitches — with fans on Instagram. Her assailant, who threw the phone because he said he “thought it would be funny,” was charged with harassment and assault. 

Kelsea Ballerini 

The country singer was hit in the face by a bracelet at a June show in Boise, Idaho, during her Heartfirst tour. “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 wrote on Instagram after the concert. “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.”