Concertgoers have been demanding answers after R&B star Brandy shocked the crowd when she walked off stage and never returned at a Chicago show.
The iconic singer-songwriter, 46, sparked confusion and outrage when she left the United Center stage during the third performance of her and Monica’s The Boy Is Mine Tour on Saturday night.
Fans have gone to social media with their outrage, with many demanding refunds as they speculate that the show’s abrupt end was due to technical difficulties.
Brandy left – with no warning that she wasn’t coming back – as she sang her 1994 hit song Baby to the packed arena that can hold up to 23,500 spectators.
‘Give me one second y’all, I got to get my…’ Brandy said before she swiftly strutted to the backstage tech area, as captured by stunned fans’ videos.
The night’s set list has Baby in act five of the six-act concert, and attendees claimed her abrupt departure slashed about 30 minutes off what was supposed to be a two-hour concert.
Dismayed guests realized the Grammy award winner would not be retaking the stage that night after Monica, 44, wrapped up the cut-short show on her own – without saying goodbye or offering an explanation about what happened.
The pair never had the chance to perform their highly anticipated 1998 duet, The Boy Is Mine.
‘No f**king way,’ one fan reacted when the arena’s lights turned on to indicate the show had ended. ‘What happened?’
Concertgoers have been demanding answers after R&B star Brandy (pictured) shocked the crowd when she walked off stage and never returned at a Chicago show
Brandy walked off (pictured) – with no warning that she wasn’t coming back – as she sang her 1994 hit song Baby to the packed arena that can hold up to 23,500 spectators
Brandy (left) sparked the confusion while touring with Monica (right)
Stunned by the jarring end of the show, Brandy’s supporters have expressed both anger and concern online.
‘Brandy just threw a fit and left the stage 75 percent before the show was over and Monica had to finish the show by herself!’ one attendee blasted on X.
‘It’s crazy she walked off. On opening night, Monica had several mic and sound issues and continued,’ someone wrote.
‘What happened to the show must go on? Brandy is showing that she still a spoiled brat.’
‘Imagine going to the Boy Is Mine Tour and they never play the song,’ another shared.
‘It sounded like the music production was off beat. That probably upset her,’ one user suggested.
‘It looks like the pre-recorded vocal was off tempo, going faster than the music and she was forced to follow it, which throws everything off,’ someone agreed.
‘So this is 100 percent the engineer’s fault, I understand how frustrating that is.’
Stunned by the jarring end of the show, which saw ticket prices hovering around $200, Brandy’s supporters have expressed both anger and concern online (pictured: the confused concert crowd)
Brandy (pictured) has not yet explained what caused her to abruptly end her performance
Others were far less sympathetic, demanding money back and calling the ’90s icon out for stepping off stage early.
‘So what? There’s thousands of people who paid for a f**king show. Get it together. You got a problem with the sound? You don’t storm off,’ one person asserted.
‘Yikes. Bad look, the biggest artists in the world would never do this,’ one woman wrote on X. ‘Give their money back!’
Rushing to the musician-actress’s defense, one woman wrote: ‘Obviously this is a production issue. It’s QUALITY control.
‘Not throwing a fit. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do & early on so people respect. Sorry y’all missed the last 25 percent [of the show].’
Some fans were more worried about Brandy’s well-being, sending prayers her way and hoping her shocking departure wasn’t due to a more serious issue.
‘Hope Brandy is okay,’ one person wrote on Instagram. ‘God bless Brandy, feel better,’ another chimed in.
Neither Brandy nor Monica has publicly addressed Saturday night’s debacle. An Instagram page devoted to updates for The Boy Is Mine Tour issued a vague statement on the issue.
‘We understand that many fans are feeling disappointed and confused after the unexpected turn of events during last night’s Chicago show,’ the post reads.
Brandy and Monica squashed their feud and have commemorated their reunion with the 24-city arena The Boy Is Mine Tour (pictured)
Brandy (left) and Monica (right), who each famously go by their mononyms, announced their joint tour earlier this year
‘While we’re still awaiting official updates, we want to take a moment to remind everyone of something important: if you truly know and love Brandy, you know her heart.
‘She’s dedicated decades of her life to her fans, giving her all through her music, performances, and vulnerability. Sometimes, even the strongest lights need a moment to pause and breathe.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Brandy and the tour for comment.
Brandy Norwood and Monica Arnold, who each famously go by their mononyms, announced their joint tour earlier this year – decades after the duo had a messy falling out after a backstage fight at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards.
They made amends years after the public feud began, commemorating their reunion with the 24-city arena The Boy Is Mine Tour. It kicked off on Thursday in Cincinnati.
‘Bringing Brandy and Monica together for this tour is more than just a moment – it’s a cultural homecoming,’ Shelby Joyner, President of Black Promoters Collective, said when the tour was announced.
‘Their impact on R&B is immeasurable, and ‘The Boy Is Mine’ continues to be one of the most iconic collaborations of all time.’
