Additional Coverage:
- Brandy blames early Chicago exit on ‘dehydration’ after she left Monica to finish concert solo (the-independent.com)
Brandy Exits Chicago Stage Mid-Concert, Citing Dehydration and Technical Woes
Chicago was buzzing Saturday night for the highly anticipated “The Boy Is Mine” tour, featuring R&B icons Brandy and Monica. However, the excitement at the United Center took an unexpected turn when Brandy abruptly left the stage, leaving fans and her co-headliner, Monica, to wonder what happened.
The duo, who famously reconciled after a years-long feud stemming from a 1998 MTV Video Music Awards rehearsal, had reunited for a joint tour named after their chart-topping collaboration. But during their Chicago performance, Brandy appeared visibly frustrated by sound issues.
She told the audience, “Give me one second y’all, I gotta get my…” before walking off stage. She did not return, leaving Monica to finish the show alone – reportedly without performing the tour’s namesake song.
On Sunday, Brandy released a statement addressing her premature exit, attributing it to dehydration and “feelings of wanting to faint” following “weeks of nonstop rehearsals.” She explained, “I still made the decision to try and return and give it my all despite not feeling OK, with having to make some adjustments and the show being very technical, unfortunately, it was impossible to fully connect sonically with the production, I really appreciate everyone’s best efforts.”
Brandy expressed gratitude to Monica, stating, “I’m deeply grateful to my sister, Monica, for stepping up with such grace and professionalism and the entire crew for their continued care and support.” She concluded by reassuring fans that she has seen a doctor and is taking “proper precautions” to continue the tour, including Sunday night’s scheduled show in Indianapolis.
Fans, however, were quick to voice their disappointment on social media. One concertgoer on X exclaimed, “Chicago deserves answers!
The Boy Is Mine concert @UnitedCenter ended abruptly! @4everBrandy walked off mid-song, @MonicaDenise tried to hold it down, then the lights came on and it was over!
No The Boy Is Mine performance at The Boy Is Mine tour!” The fan added, “We get it, things happen…but say something!
The silence was unprofessional. Leaving us to figure out the show was over on our own was crazy work!
Communication is everything!”
Another fan echoed the sentiment, writing, “Brandy left in the middle of performing in Chicago & never came back… Said she was getting her sound right but left Monica to finish the show by herself with six songs left … I get being frustrated about tech issues, but people spent money to see you.” A third commenter agreed, “Brandy literally went to fix her sound and didn’t come back, we sat there and got no explanation or goodbye for 20-30 minutes.”
With upcoming dates in New York and Los Angeles, fans are hoping the technical difficulties are resolved to ensure a smoother experience for future shows. Just hours before the Chicago performance, Brandy had shared an optimistic Instagram post, thanking audiences and expressing excitement for the Windy City: “We are so grateful for this moment!
Thank you Cincinnati and Milwaukee for two magical nights. Chicago, see you soon.”