Fantasia performed at Detroit’s Aretha Franklin Amphitheater on July 12.
In typical fashion, fans had their phones out in droves, recording the whole event.
But according to Complex, the singer isn’t a fan of the habit and thinks it misses the point of attending a live performance.
She urged her fans to put down their phones as she sang.
“So I wanna tell you now. We’re living in a world where y’all can’t have fun because you’ve been too busy trying to film stuff. So wack now.”
The singer and entrepreneur continued:
“And we as performers, we be up here working and y’all [gestures holding up phone]…You know the money that you pay in here tonight you could’ve done something else with it. So if you paid the money, you might as well get your [money’s worth].”
Fantasia then invited a fan to take a photo with her, saying:
“Young people, he can’t take it–he’s about to have a heart attack…Now you got your picture, put your phone down. We gon’ show y’all what a party really looks like.”
Fans Reacted To Fantasia
Fantasia says yall missing the moment cause u to busy trying to film pic.twitter.com/vUqSCqdcJU
— Team Fantasia (@teamtasia123) July 14, 2024
The singer’s words sparked a conversation about how artists shouldn’t concern themselves with how audiences enjoy themselves versus how often attendees view concert footage.
Fantasia isn’t the first star to talk against filming during concerts.
Busta Rhymes shared a similar sentiment at the 30th Essence Festival of Culture, saying:
“Ayo, fuck them camera phones, too. Let’s get back to interacting like humans. Put them weird-ass devices down.”
And:
“Them shits don’t control the soul. Fuck your phone.”
Fantasia didn’t tell one lie I was recently looking at old concert footage and noticed I didn’t see not one phone or camera in anybody’s hand they were just enjoying themselves living in the moment @TasiasWord https://t.co/OcZlchdQHn
— cause even forever ain't forever (@htowngurl17) July 16, 2024
and
She's right.
I went to a show recently (not Fantasia) and the comedian told us take out your phones, get your picture for instagram/twitter and then put away your phones and enjoy the show instead of recording. I thought that was dope.— Mrs Webster (@bluewebby) July 14, 2024
What’s your take on this?
Should fans stop filming concerts or is Fantasia overreacting?
