Since her early rise to fame in the ’90s as the lead singer of the R&B group Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé has worked fearlessly to get to where she is today, as the queen of music. Like most performers, the star has experienced her share of run-ins with overzealous fans, as was the case in 2013 when a concertgoer slapped her butt during a live performance. With 32 Grammy wins, Queen Bey knows a thing or two about being a professional, and she shut the man down in the classiest way possible.
Bey dominated with ‘The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour’
In 2003, Beyoncé launched a solo career, climbing to the top of the charts with the song “Crazy in Love” featuring her now-husband, rapper Jay-Z. In 2008, the power couple married and became proud parents of three.
The 41-year-old superstar has performed eight concert tours, five of them worldwide, and has spent countless hours shaking her booty on stage. But just because the “Bootylicious” singer is known for her seductive wardrobe and lyrics doesn’t mean anyone has the right to touch her without her consent.
A year after her daughter, Blue Ivy, was born, the “If I Were a Boy” singer headlined the 2013 Super Bowl Halftime Show. Much to fans’ delight, she then announced her upcoming fifth concert tour. Inspired by her husband, it was aptly named The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour.
The 2013–2014 tour began in Belgrade, Serbia, and ended in Lisbon, Portugal, after seven legs and 132 shows. Beyoncé became the highest-grossing female artist and solo tour act in 2013, earning $229.7 million. The tour included stops in North America, Europe, Latin America, New Zealand, and Australia.
An overzealous fan took an impromptu duet with Beyoncé too far
Beyoncé’s pop ballad “Irreplaceable” sold 4.6 million copies worldwide and became the top song of 2007. It was a staple of The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour setlist and a highlight of the dazzling theatrical performance. A swing and a swirl of glitter transported Beyoncé from the main stage to an area known as the “Bey-stage” in the middle of the venue so she could be closer to the crowd.
She then launched into her “favorite part of the show,” leading the exuberant audience into a sing-along version of “Irreplaceable.” The artist claimed she loved getting close to her fans, saying, “I can read all the signs, feel all the energy,” Billboard reported.
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During the energetic, interactive moment, Beyoncé shared her microphone with an enthusiastic audience member. Sometimes the person would be an adoring fan, and in London, the singer even tried to share the mic with Princess Eugenie.
One month into the tour, at a show in Copenhagen, Denmark, the “Halo” singer shared her mic with a fan who sang along to the lyrics “To the left, to the left…” When Beyoncé turned to walk away, the man reached out and slapped her butt.
Stunned, she abruptly stopped singing, turned back to the man, and clearly stated, “I will have you escorted out right now, all right?”
Beyoncé handled the slap like a pro
Not missing a beat, the mother of three picked up where she left off, continuing with the lyrics “You must not know ’bout me” as she sashayed her way back into the adoring crowd. The concert continued as planned, and her record label reportedly had no comment after the show.
Unfortunately, this incident was not the only time Queen Bey had problems with this part of the performance.
According to The Atlantic, at a show in September 2013 in São Paulo, Brazil, a shirtless man grabbed her and pulled her to the ground. Again, Beyoncé continued singing amid the chaos as security guards jumped in to free her from the man’s grasp.
She later returned to the unknown man in the crowd and asked him, “What’s your name?” Instead of threatening to eject him from the venue, the consummate performer replied, “Thank you. I love you too!”
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