After Kelly Rowland's viral confrontation with an usher on the 47th annual Cannes Film Festival red carpet on Tuesday (May 21), fans have taken to social media to show support for the singer.
The Destiny's Child alum was filmed clashing with the worker when she was "scolded" as she tried to interact with her fans at the premiere of Marcello Mio on the Palais des Festivals staircase.
Highlights
- Fans rally behind Kelly Rowland following a confrontation with an usher at the 47th Cannes Film Festival.
- The singer clashed with an usher who tried to "scold" her on the red carpet, sparking accusations of racial treatment.
- Several fans cited the incident as an example of a "racist Karen" behavior.
In the video of the heated exchange, the usher appears to indicate to Kelley that she had to get off the red carpet and walk inside the theater, touching her shoulders and blocking her view when she tried to wave at somebody in the crowd. The five-time Grammy winner reacted by raising her finger and speaking sternly to the woman.
Image credits: Samir Hussein/WireImage
While Kelly's behavior was criticized on social media and labeled "diva-like," many others defended the 43-year-old star, arguing that she was unfairly treated and that the usher's attitude was racially motivated.
"This was RACIST, pure & simple! This French Karen, who is a NOBODY, kept rushing @KELLYROWLAND up the stairs. NO WHITE WOMEN were being rushed & worse, repeatedly TOUCHED!" a fan wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
"Then the media tried to put it on Kelly. As a Black woman, so sick of this sh*t."
The singer was filmed clashing with the woman when she was "scolded" as she tried to interact with her fans at the premiere of Marcello Mio
Image credits: David Fisher/Shutterstock
"Not even THE Kelly Rowland is safe from these Karens—all jealous and bitter and racist as hell. You can't tell me otherwise," said another.
The term "Karen" is used to define a specific type of white middle-class woman who is perceived as obnoxious or entitled (particularly in interactions with service industry workers) and often carries out racist micro-aggressions.
A third person wrote: "People be racist and wrong, and they should be called out. Like, why are all these people trying to escort her up the stairs before she got all her pictures?"
Image credits: melle_cess
Watch the video below:
"Racist lady tried to play in Kelly's face, apparently, and Kelly wasn't having it. Not THEE Kelly Rowland. ⅓ of Destiny's Child... Have some respect," another fan commented.
In an interview with the Associated Press, the Atlanta-born songstress spoke out on the incident, confirming the worker had told her to "get off" and suggesting that she perceived it as a racist micro-aggression.
Image credits: ET
"The woman knows what happened. I know what happened. I have a boundary, and I stand by those boundaries, and that is it," Kelly said.
"And there were other women who attended that carpet who did not quite look like me, and they didn't get scolded, pushed off, or told to get off.
"I stood my ground, and she felt like she had to stand hers. But I stood my ground."
Fans accused the worker of being a "racist Karen"
Tina Knowles, Beyoncé's mother who has known Kelly since the early days of Destiny's Child, also defended the singer against the haters following the incident.
"And just like that, she @kellyrowland graces another carpet with her amazing, glorious beauty, class, and grace!!!! Sipping Champagne and living her best life," the 70-year-old mom captioned an Instagram video of Kelly posing at Cannes with Joe Jonas and Evan Ross.
She added: "This just goes to show that one silly monkey, don't stop no-show!!! On to bigger and better things."
