HOLLYWOOD
Katy Perry Suspends ‘Roar’ Midair After Butterfly Prop Malfunctions Mid-Flight
Midair chaos strikes during San Francisco show as Katy Perry’s flying butterfly prop malfunctions — but the pop icon stays poised, powering through a year marked by personal and public challenges.
Pop star holds her nerve during frightening onstage mishap in San Francisco, continuing a year of headline-making moments amid personal and professional turbulence.
Katy Perry’s Lifetimes Tour took an unexpected — and airborne — turn on Friday night when a mechanical butterfly prop malfunctioned mid-performance, leaving the singer swinging high above a shocked crowd in San Francisco.
Performing her chart-topping hit “Roar” at the Chase Center, Perry was gracefully straddling a giant, glittering butterfly as it soared above the audience. But the spectacle quickly turned nerve-wracking when one of the wires supporting the massive insect unexpectedly gave way. Fans looked on in horror as the butterfly jerked and swayed uncontrollably. Perry momentarily halted her vocals, visibly startled but managing to maintain her balance.
As the backing track carried on without her — notably during the iconic line “I got the eye of the tiger…” — Perry paused to compose herself. Seconds later, proving her showmanship and resolve, she rejoined the chorus with “And you’re gonna hear me roar,” receiving a massive cheer from fans relieved to see her recover so quickly.
After the show, Perry acknowledged the mishap in good humor. On Instagram, she posted a blurry image of her surprised face captured during the drop, captioned simply: “Goodnight, San Fran.”
The incident marks just one of several headline-grabbing moments for the “Firework” singer this year. In April, Perry reached new heights — literally — when she joined journalist Gayle King and Lauren Sánchez, fiancée of Jeff Bezos, aboard Blue Origin’s NS-31 space flight. Just weeks later, Perry confirmed her separation from actor Orlando Bloom, her fiancé of nine years and father to their daughter, Daisy.
The split garnered public attention after their representatives released a joint statement emphasizing a mutual focus on co-parenting. Bloom, meanwhile, has also made reflective posts about “loneliness and the human soul” in the breakup’s aftermath.
More recently, Perry filed for a restraining order in June after an intruder reportedly breached her Santa Barbara property. That same month, she was forced to confront a fan who stormed the stage during her concert in Sydney.
Despite the series of dramatic events, Perry remains undeterred. The Lifetimes Tour continues with a scheduled stop in Seattle this Monday and more than 50 additional dates ahead, culminating in a December finale in Abu Dhabi.
From outer space to swinging stage props, Katy Perry’s 2025 has proven to be nothing short of unforgettable — and through it all, she continues to roar.
