The queen of soul was met with a mix of criticisms and support after she responded to disruptive fans during a performance in Houston.
Anita Baker’s recent performance at Houston’s Toyota Center in Texas had the audience split on how to react. Videos surfaced across social media showing the renowned singer getting into an altercation with audience members, leading to divisive opinions online about her on-stage behavior.
In one video clip, Baker stops her song to call out people in the front row, demanding they stop recording her set, according to TMZ.
There was another instance where she asked security to remove certain individuals from the show altogether.
Her actions led to intense criticism of the performance, which some fans deemed overall “sloppy” and lacking focus. According to the outlet, certain audience members felt Baker concentrated more energy on combating slights from the crowd rather than delivering a solid show. Some went so far as to accuse her of forgetting her own lyrics because she was distracted by confrontations with attendees, which they found unacceptable from a star of her caliber.
However, not all feedback was negative. Baker still had supporters praising her singing and stage presence, saying she ultimately performed well. They came to her defense by noting those ejected were behaving inappropriately beforehand, thus provoking the star’s response.
This was not the first time this year the Queen of Soul was involved in a spat with fans. Earlier this year, the artist was in a feud between Babyface and his followers on X, formerly known as Twitter, according to TMZ.
Meanwhile, the performer is continuing her multi-city tour unfazed. Following her Houston date, Baker put on a show for the Dallas audience last night and still has upcoming California shows on the schedule.
Fans or critics alike are likely to see Baker’s name come across their screens at some point after the onstage altercation in Houston. The artist’s latest actions have proven Anita Baker can keep her name in the spotlight.
Source: Black Enterprise
