Kelsea Ballerini leaves the stage as she is hit by an object

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Kelsea Ballerini is the latest musician to be punched in the face during a performance after a series of similar incidents at concerts.

The country star, 29, was onstage in Boise, Idaho, on Wednesday, June 28, when an audience member threw an object, apparently a bracelet, that hit Ballerini in the head. In video of the incident shared via Twitter, Ballerini paused her performance of “If You Go Down (I’m Going Down Too)” when members of her band stopped by to check on her. After a few more seconds, Ballerini left the stage.

When she later returned to the stage after a costume change, Ballerini spoke about the incident before playing her next number. “Can we talk about what just happened?” she started, per a TikTok video of the concert. “All I care about is that everyone is safe. So if you ever feel unsafe, let someone close to you know. There’s security everywhere tonight. If someone pushes too much or you just have that gut feeling or something. Always mark it.

Ballerini did not specify what happened to her, but she advised the audience to be kinder. “Don’t throw things,” she said. “I always want shows from me – any show, for any artist, but I’m in control of this one – I just want it to be a safe place for everyone. We have little kids here. Can you help me with that tonight, please ?

The incident happened days later Bebe Rexha was punched in the face with a cell phone during a June 18 performance in New York City. A day later, the pop star, 33, shared a photo of her stitched up injury and black eye via Instagram, writing, “I’m fine.”

Kelsea Ballerini Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock

Nicholas Malvagna, who threw the phone, was arrested and charged with assault. At his arraignment on June 20, he claimed he took part in a TikTok trend where you throw your phone at a celebrity so they take a selfie with it before handing it back.

“As a fan, Mr. Malvagna’s only intention was to get Ms. Rexha to take pictures with his phone and return them as a memento,” said Malvagna’s lawyer. Todd Spodek, a statement said. “It was never his intention to hurt Mrs. Rehxa.”

Malvagna was released without bail after his arrest and is due back in court on Monday, July 31.

Days after Rexha left her show with a black eye, Av Max was performing in Los Angeles when an audience member climbed on stage and seemingly punched her in the face. “He hit me so hard he scratched the inside of my eye,” the 29-year-old singer of “Sweet But Psycho” tweeted on June 21. “He’s never coming to a show again.”

Earlier this week, Pink dealt with her own unusual interaction with fans – albeit a lesser physical injury. During a performance in London’s Hyde Park on Sunday 25 June, a concertgoer threw a bag filled with gray ash onto the stage.

“Is this your mother?!” the “Raise Your Glass” singer, 43, said in response, seemingly visibly confused by the gesture. “I don’t know what I think about this!” She then put the bag on the floor before continuing her performance.