Brandy enraged fans after she abruptly walked off stage during her and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine” tour stop in Chicago on Saturday.
Brandy was performing her 1994 soul track “Baby” at the United Center when she walked off stage, telling the audience members, “Give me one second, y’all, I gotta get my …,” per a video shared via X.
She was then seen approaching the sound crew backstage.
One onlooker theorized that the the R&B hitmaker, 46, was upset about the sound quality and confronted the crew about the issue.
Monica, 44, took the stage to finish out the show about 30 minutes later, though the audience didn’t get to hear her and Brandy’s 1998 song, “The Boy Is Mine.”
When attendees realized Brandy wasn’t coming back to finish the two-hour concert, they caused an uproar online.
“Listen, I don’t care what the reason was. I saw the tech issues early and let them slide,” one critic posted on Instagram Threads.
“But someone should’ve called ‘HOLD’ and made a quick announcement over the God Mic. That’s basic professionalism. You don’t leave your audience confused. It’s disrespectful, especially when people paid to be there. I hope everyone’s okay, but accountability is due. That was beyond tacky.”
Another added via X, “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. Talk to your audience. Sing accapella [sic].”
Others defended Brandy, suggesting she may have departed early due to a health issue.
“If Brandy left the stage & didn’t return, something serious must have happened,” one supporter argued. “Brandy wouldn’t do that for just any reason. I just hope that Brandy is OK.”
A second agreed, noting, “It’s wild that people are judging her without knowing why she left the stage.”
In a statement to Page Six, Brandy said she “experienced dehydration and feelings of wanting to faint” after weeks of grueling rehearsals.
“I still made the decision to try and return and give it my all despite not feeling ok. With having to make some adjustments and the show being very technical. Unfortunately, it was impossible to fully connect sonically with the production, I really appreciate everyone’s best efforts,” she said.
“I went from the arena to see a doctor nearby and have taken the proper precautions to help moving forward. Your understanding, patience, and unwavering belief mean the world to me.”
Brandy also thanked her “sister” Monica “for stepping up with such grace and professionalism” before saying she would be returning to the stage for this show in Indianapolis Sunday night.
In 2022, the “Have You Ever” singer reportedly suffered a seizure and was hospitalized.
Brandy and Monica kicked off their tour in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Thursday and will wrap up their shows in Jacksonville, Fla., on Dec. 14.
