American singer Akon, currently touring India, drew attention after videos from his Mumbai concert showed him performing inside a giant zorb ball — a move many fans linked to the recent Bengaluru incident where concertgoers were seen tugging at his pants mid-performance.
“This is how Akon had to perform in Mumbai so that no one pulls his pants,” a fan wrote alongside a video from the concert.
“I love Akon, but I couldn’t stop laughing when I saw him come out inside a huge ball last night,” said an Instagram user.
However, this is not the first time the Bananza singer has used this prop. In September, Akon posted a video from his Papua New Guinea show, where he appeared inside a zorb ball, carried by a sea of cheering fans as he delivered some of his chartbusters.
On 14 November, Akon held his second show in Bengaluru, where he sang some of his biggest chartbusters, including Right Now (Na Na Na) and Lonely.
While singing Smack That, Akon headed towards the edge of the stage, flooded with fans. However, while he was singing, a few fans attempted to pull his trousers down, leaving the singer ‘visibly’ uncomfortable.
However, a fan who claims to have shot the viral video of Akon’s Bengaluru concert has issued a clarification, saying the incident was not “harassment” but a “wild moment” from the show that has been misinterpreted online.
“Yes, I posted the video. It started as just a fun moment from a wild concert. But now? It’s been blown out of proportion, turned into headlines, assumptions, and clickbait. “Harassment”, “scandal”, etc,” he wrote.
The incident has set off widespread outrage on the internet, with many labelling the behaviour as “harassment” and calling it an embarrassment for the city.
Akon, who found a strong fan base in India with hits like Chammak Challo and Criminal from Shah Rukh Khan’s Ra.One, last performed in the country in 2007.
Akon’s India Tour 2025 is spearheaded by event company White Fox in collaboration with Percept Live.