The trend of fans throwing objects onto the stage and striking performing artists in the face has reared its head in Tanzania with music star Zuhura Othman Soud, popularly known as Zuchu, becoming the latest celebrity to be struck while performing.
This habit first made international headlines in June, when British singer and songwriter Harry Styles was struck in the eye by object thrown from the stands while performing at Ernst Happel Stadium in Austria.
It was quickly followed by a string of object-throwing incidents at entertainers such as Bebe Rexha and Kelsea Ballerini, whose assailant was arrested.
Both were injured in the process, and they posted pictures of their bruised eyes on social media after the incidents.
In this latest incident involving Zuchu, footage shared on social media shows the singer in the middle of a dance sequence with her backup dancers when a flying object hurled from the cheering crowd hit her in the eye.
The incident happened when Zuchu was performing at the Wasafi Festival pre-party on Friday ahead of the main concert on Saturday.
Zuchu immediately winces in pain and covers her eyes with both hands before being whisked away from the stage by bouncers. The incident forced Zuchu to end her performance abruptly.
The artist has not yet commented on the incident publicly and it was not immediately clear whether she was injured.
The singer, who is signed to Diamond Platnumz’s WCB record label, is the only female singer selected to feature in the Wasafi Festival 2023 Edition.
