SAN FRANCISCO (BN24) — Katy Perry narrowly avoided a dangerous fall into the crowd Friday night after a stage prop malfunctioned during her concert at the Chase Center in San Francisco, prompting momentary alarm among fans and concert staff.
The 40-year-old pop star was performing her hit “Roar” while riding atop a giant butterfly prop suspended above the audience when the rig suddenly dropped several feet before catching again, according to fan videos widely shared on X, formerly Twitter.
The footage shows Perry abruptly stopping mid-song to regain her balance as the prop shook, then continuing her performance unfazed, drawing cheers from the stunned crowd. The incident occurred during the final portion of her set on the Lifetimes Tour, which she completed without further issue.
Perry appeared to acknowledge the scare the following day on Instagram Stories, posting a still image of her facial expression as the butterfly began to fall, captioned, “Good Night San Fran.”
Representatives for the singer have not publicly commented on the incident.
Friday’s prop malfunction is the second in recent weeks involving Perry. During a concert in Australia last month, a similar aerial mishap occurred when a flying sphere she was riding began to tilt mid-performance, forcing her to grip the supporting wires for safety, according to fan-recorded video.
Such high-concept stage setups have recently led to similar scares for other pop stars. In June, Beyoncé briefly halted a performance in Houston on her Cowboy Carter tour after her flying car prop malfunctioned while midair. “If ever I fall, I know y’all will catch me,” Beyoncé reassured fans from the stage.
Despite the growing trend of elaborate, suspended stage effects in pop concerts, Perry’s incident underscores the inherent risks of these high-wire performances. While no injuries were reported, fans and critics alike are now questioning the safety of such daring visuals in live shows.
