Usher is warning fans not to join him onstage unless they are comfortable participating in his live routine, after an awkward exchange at a recent concert went viral, according to NME.
The singer addressed the issue during a show at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama, on Tuesday, July 28. He told the audience, “Don’t bring your ass up here if you don’t want to be here,” and joked that “God don’t like ugly, but he most certainly don’t feel too good about pretty privilege either.”
The comments came after an incident at the Nashville stop of his co-headlining tour with Chris Brown on Saturday, July 25. During a performance of “Can U Handle It?,” Usher brought a woman named Gabrielle Cheyenne onstage and performed his usual lap dance-style routine near a prop bed.
Cheyenne appeared reluctant to take part, avoiding eye contact and largely staying still. Usher eventually paused and told the crowd, “I don’t think she wanna be on the stage,” before gesturing for her to leave and continuing the show.
Footage of the moment spread online, and Cheyenne later defended herself on social media, saying the tour team had moved her and her mother from floor seats to the VIP area before the concert.
