After Beyoncé’s flying car fail, Katy Perry left dangling midair as butterfly prop malfunctions during San Francisco concert

Pop superstar Katy Perry faced a frightening moment onstage Friday night, July 18, when a massive butterfly-shaped prop malfunctioned mid-performance during her Lifetimes Tour stop at San Francisco’s Chase Center. The singer was performing her 2013 hit Roar while flying above the crowd when the suspended platform suddenly dropped and jolted, leaving her clinging to the rig midair before regaining balance and continuing the show.

She briefly stopped singing and held on tightly as the rig swayed above the audience.

Audience members captured the moment on video, where Perry looked up at the wires with concern before regaining her composure and continuing the performance.


While some fans praised Perry’s professionalism for continuing the show, others were concerned about the safety of elaborate stage props.

“She handled it like a pro,” one fan wrote. Another warned, “This could’ve ended badly — flying rigs need tighter safety checks.”

Not the first tour disruption

This isn’t the first time Perry’s tour has faced challenges. Just last month in Sydney, a fan stormed the stage and grabbed her shoulder mid-performance. Security quickly removed the man, who was later arrested and charged.

Friday’s prop malfunction also follows a similar mishap during Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” tour, when her flying car prop tilted midair during a Houston show. She was safely lowered without injury.

The Beyoncé incident occurred on June 28, 2025, during Beyoncé’s first Cowboy Carter tour show at Houston’s NRG Stadium.

During her “16 Carriages” performance, the flying red Cadillac prop she was seated on began to tilt dangerously mid‑air. She immediately halted the song, called for the crew to “stop,” and was then safely lowered back to the stage before finishing the performance.

No one was injured in Perry’s performance.

Neither Katy Perry nor her representatives have released an official statement yet.