Houston, Texas – A stunning spectacle turned into a moment of alarm Saturday night as Beyoncé was forced to abruptly pause her Cowboy Carter concert when a mid-air stage prop – a red Cadillac convertible – tilted dangerously while suspended above the crowd at NRG Stadium.
The dramatic incident occurred midway through her performance of “16 Carriages,” a country ballad featured on her chart-topping Cowboy Carter album. The Cadillac, a staple visual of the show’s climactic moments, is typically hoisted high above the audience, carrying the superstar across the stadium. But on June 28, things took a sudden turn when the car began to slant sharply in mid-air.
“Stop! Stop, stop, stop, stop,” Beyoncé could be heard saying into her mic, as seen in a now-viral TikTok clip of the incident. Clinging to a flagpole for support, the 43-year-old icon remained calm and composed while suspended high above her fans.
Gasps rippled through the packed stadium before erupting into applause as Beyoncé was slowly and safely lowered to the ground. Smiling and waving, she reassured the crowd: “Thank y’all for your patience,” before briefly exiting the stage.
Later, she addressed the moment with poise and gratitude. “If ever I fall, I know y’all would catch me,” she said, drawing roaring cheers from the Houston crowd.
Parkwood Entertainment, Beyoncé’s company, confirmed the mishap in a statement Sunday, calling it a “technical issue.” “She was quickly lowered and no one was injured. The show continued without incident,” the statement read.
Fans, however, were quick to inject humor into the tense moment, invoking Beyoncé’s now-legendary 2010 onstage quip, “Somebody’s getting fired,” originally made during a lighting glitch on her I Am… World Tour. Social media was flooded with videos and memes tagging the incident with the catchphrase.
This isn’t the first time Queen Bey has faced a prop malfunction. Earlier in the Cowboy Carter tour, a robot arm tasked with pouring her a glass of whiskey missed its cue. And in 2018’s On The Run II tour with Jay-Z, a lift failed, prompting Beyoncé to descend a ladder in heels and sequins, of course.
Saturday's concert marked the 23rd show of Beyoncé’s 32-date Cowboy Carter stadium tour, her most visually ambitious to date. A love letter to American roots music, the tour has won praise for blending country aesthetics with Beyoncé’s signature glamour and stage command. It has also featured memorable appearances by her daughters, Blue Ivy (13) and Rumi (8).
Despite the hiccup, Beyoncé’s hometown crowd remained energized, and the show continued with full force. Sunday’s performance in Houston is expected to go ahead as planned, with fans hopeful for smoother skies—and a securely fastened Cadillac.
As one fan put it on X, “She paused the show like a pro, handled it like a queen, and came back like a legend. Beyoncé stays unshaken.”