Iggy Azalea: I was not allowed to finish Saudi Arabia show after pants split

Jan 13, 2024

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Iggy Azalea claims she was forced to stop her concert in Saudi Arabia after she suffered a wardrobe malfunction while performing Friday night.

“Saudi Arabia… Wasssssss…. probably the worst possible place to have my pants split & unfortunately I wasn’t permitted to end the show. 🤷‍♀️🥲,” the “Problem” rapper, 33, captioned a slideshow on Instagram Saturday that showed clips from the show, including the moment her pants ripped.

“BUT silver lining,” she added. “The promoters were amazingly kind to me & the PEOPLE who came were the absolute most supportive.”

Azalea then said in a message to her fans, “I love you guys this was not what I intended for the show but it’s a memory I’ll have forever & ultimately showed me how kind, loving & supportive people can be while you’re having such an embarrassing moment 😭🫶”

The Australian rapper also addressed the incident on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating in part that her and her team “all wanted to continue but were not allowed by authorities because of my pants splitting.”

Azalea then gave further insight into what may have also led to the cancellation, noting in a separate tweet that she shouted at the crowd at one point, “’Ladies make some noise, it’s a woman’s world!’”

“And apparently that sent the authorities over the edge. Lol” the “Black Widow” rapper added.

“I’m cool I just didn’t want the fans to be sad or angry at the show organizers cause it wasn’t their control or mine it.”

It is unclear if Azalea plans to reschedule her show. Her reps did not immediately return Page Six’s request for comment.

A source close to the situation confirms to us, though, that Azalea “got through majority of her set” at the Gamers8 festival before the issues and that government and police were responsible for the shut-down.

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“Iggy hopes to revisit and that this doesn’t prevent her from coming back,” the insider adds.

According to a website for Saudi Arabia immigration, the dress code for women in the predominantly Muslim country has evolved in recent years, but female visitors should still “cover as much flesh as possible to avoid drawing unwelcome attention.”

“The key to following the Saudi clothing code is modesty,” the website also states. “You will be OK as long as you dress modestly.”

Fans on social media were divided over the ordeal, with some thanking the “Fancy” rapper for going to perform in their native country, while others placing blame on the musician for agreeing to perform there.

“Hey Iggy! As Saudi Fans we Just wanted to say how much we Loved & enjoyed your concert! 💃” one person tweeted.

“Your energy was Amazing and even though that unfortunate incident happened, it didn’t dampen our spirits. Your performance was incredible, and we’re already looking forward to your next tour in Riyadh! 🎶🙌”

A second opined on Instagram, “Geez Saudi Arabia. Ur lucky the religious police didn’t arrest you. 😑”

Meanwhile, another wrote on X, “It’s your fault because you knew very well where you were performing, please respect other countries cultures and laws.”

Azalea’s incident is reminiscent of what recently occurred at The 1975’s concert in Malaysia.

The British pop rock band was banned from performing in the Asian country after their frontman, Matty Healy, kissed a male bandmate onstage.

According to Malaysian law, same-sex activity is illegal and carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment with whipping.

Healy, 34, did not regret his actions and instead mocked the government’s ban, later joking via his Instagram, “Ok well why don’t you try and not make out with Ross for 20 years. Not as easy at it looks.”