Iggy Azalea provokes Saudi authorities over wardrobe malfunction, concert comment

Australian rapper Iggy Azalea has shocked Saudi Arabia and was forced to stop her concert following a "wardrobe malfunction" and a pro-women comment onstage.

During a performance in the Saudi capital Riyadh for the Esports tournament Gamers8, Azalea's trousers split around her thigh and she was forced to end the concert prematurely.

According to a now deleted post on X, formerly known as Twitter by Azalea, Saudi authorities refused to allow her to continue the concert following the incident. She also implored fans not to blame the promoter.

I did but I also said
“Ladies make some noise, it’s a woman’s world!” And apparently that sent the authorities over the edge. Lol
I’m cool I just didn’t want the fans to be sad or angry at the show organizers cause it wasn’t their control or mine it was the police at the side…

— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) August 25, 2023

She also said that even though she changed her trousers, she still wasn't allowed back on stage because of her comment "Ladies make some noise, it's a woman's world!" which apparently "sent the [Saudi] authorities over the edge."

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has undergone a social transformation, with Western singers and rappers being allowed to perform in the conservative Gulf kingdom.

In 2017, concerts were permitted for the first time.

Many restrictions on women have also been lifted, with a ban on women driving removed in 2018.

However, this social liberalisation has not been accompanied by political reform, with activists and social media users still being detained and tortured for social media posts critical of the government.