Katy Perry got more than she bargained for when a man apparently invaded her performance space in Sydney and put his arm around her mid-song.

The US pop superstar was singing “Hot N Cold” during the second night of her Qudos Bank Arena run on Monday, June 9th, when the man appeared to interrupt her.

A fan-filmed video shows Perry, wearing an all-yellow outfit, and wielding a black electric guitar, surprised by a man who appears at her left.

In the clip, Perry backs away, takes a sip from a water bottle and can be heard telling the crowd, “There’s never going to be another show like this so just enjoy it, Sydney.”

Love Music?

Get your daily dose of metal, rock, indie, pop, and everything else in between.

A spokesman for the NSW Police Force confirmed to Rolling Stone AU/NZ that a man jumped on stage, was detained by security, arrested by police, and taken to Auburn Police Station. He was charged with the obstruction of a person in performance of work or duties, and unlawful entry into “inclosed lands”, which constitutes trespassing.

The man has been granted conditional bail at Burwood Local Court on June 23rd and handed a six-month banning notice from the grounds of the Sydney Olympic Park precinct.

Produced by TEG Dainty, Perry’s tour of Australia includes dates at Rod Laver Arena, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, and Perth’s RAC Arena, for her national jaunt in these parts for six years.

Perry’s tour is in support of her seventh and latest studio album from 2024, 143, which peaked at No. 2 on the ARIA Chart. 143 is her fifth top 10 album in Australia, a tally that includes leaders Teenage Dream (No. 1 for two weeks in 2010), and Prism (No. 1 for one week in 2013).

Ticket information for Katy Perry’s Australian tour can be found here. 

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.
to Rolling Stone magazine
to Rolling Stone magazine