Billie Eilish waited two years to get back on the road, and now that the Happier Than Ever tour is in full swing, she’s here for her fans — in more ways than one.
On Saturday, the singer was performing at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena when she halted the concert mid-show to retrieve an inhaler for a seemingly distressed fan in the audience.
From the stage, Eilish oversaw security as they located the young woman in the pit, reminding the audience members not to crowd her. She quipped: “I wait for people to be OK until I keep going.”
The singer did some crowd control of her own, turning to the rest of the arena to soothe their anxieties from the rafters: “Relax, relax, it’s OK. We’re taking care of our people, hold on.” Ready to jump back into the show, Eilish reminded the crowd to get someone’s attention if they needed anything and walked them through a quick breathing exercise before starting the next song.
Artists ensuring crowd safety during their shows has long been a part of being on the road, especially when hundreds of fans fill general admission areas in front of the stage. But in the wake of the Astroworld Festival tragedy, where 10 concertgoers died of compression asphyxia during Travis Scott’s headlining set in November, these crucial moments of pause are more essential than ever before.
Zara Larsson has indicated that she may have cancelled her December 3 appearance at the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The singer initially confirmed that she would not attend, before removing the comment and sharing a more detailed explanation of why the performance no longer feels right for her.
The Swedish star was scheduled to take the stage at Etihad Live on Yas Island during the Yasalam After-Race Concerts. Zara and Lewis Capaldi were due to launch the weekend’s entertainment. However, supporters encouraged her to reconsider the booking because of concerns surrounding the United Arab Emirates’ reported connections to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary organisation accused of committing atrocities during the nation’s civil conflict.
A fan commented: “Please read about what UAE is doing to Sudan then cancel your Abu Dhabi show!” Zara responded: “I will not be going to Abu Dhabi.” Fans later realised that both comments had been removed.
She then shared that she had been considering what it means for her, as an artist, to perform in particular countries.
The Midnight Sun singer explained: “I think about that a lot in my life as an artist… I wanna perform and spread joy and music for people in every country, because no single person is their government.
“I’ve met so many wonderful people from every corner of the world and I know this to be true in my heart. I love people, and I love my fans soooo much.”
Zara acknowledged that her original comment “maybe came off as an impulsive response,” but explained that she had given the booking serious thought. She now believes withdrawing is the decision that “aligns with me the most right now, for many different personal reasons beyond politics.”
She continued: “Maybe I’ll delete both comments and do a better statement soon. I hope to sing with you in the beautiful future!”
