Anita Baker Requests Crowd Stop Recording and Kicks Out Fans at Houston Show: 'Turn Off the Camera, Baby'

"The Songstress" herself had some requests for the crowd at one of the stops on her anniversary tour. 

During her Friday concert at Houston’s Toyota Center, Anita Baker, 65, stopped performing one of her songs to ask audience members in the front row to stop filming her. Fans captured footage of the moment, as well as the music legend asking security for their help in removing concertgoers. 

In the fan-recorded clips that surfaced on TikTok, the Grammy winner was in the midst of singing her 1983 hit “Feel the Need” when she interrupted herself to ask the crowd to put their phones down. While still singing along to the tune, she improvised, “Early in the morning / Late in the evening, baby.”

“Turn off the camera, baby,” she then requested. “I don’t know who you are, move back!”

The star, who was dressed in a glistening red jumpsuit, asked the attendee to move back once more and shortly after got her security’s attention. “Security, help them out, and I mean out of my front row,” she said while her band continued played, as captured by in another video.

After clips of the Toyota Center concert went viral, Baker seemingly took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the incident. 

She made a post two days after the show including a lyric from “Heated” by Beyoncé, who famously hails from Houston. “When they realize, they can't Stop Your Blessings?... they simply Lie. As in, Liability🤣 Screenshots? Are 4Ever,” she wrote before referencing the Renaissance track. “Lyrics🎼 I'm as petty, as you are #AnitaBaker.” 

Baker is currently wrapping up the final dates of her tour celebrating the milestone 40th anniversary of her debut solo album The Songstress, which originally came out in 1983 and launched her toward R&B superstardom when it was re-released by Elektra Records in 1991. The “Sweet Love” singer has just two shows left in Los Angeles and Oakland, California on Dec. 22 and Dec. 23, respectively, before the 15-date run concludes.

The former Chapter 8 member’s 2023 shows, which began back in February, marked her first major tour in nearly 30 years. She announced she was setting out on the road last year, shortly after she regained control of her master recordings.

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The “Caught Up in the Rapture” artist’s tour began by featuring support from fellow R&B hitmaker Babyface, but in June, she announced that the remaining concerts would continue without an opening act. 

The singer-songwriter kicked the recording artist, 64, off of the support slot following an incident at their concert at New Jersey’s Prudential Center on May 10. Due to technical difficulties that contributed to extensive delays, Baker canceled Babyface’s set, which fans responded to by posting complaints and threats directed at her on social media.

"After Silently, Enduring Cyber Bulling/Verbal Abuse & Threats of Violence from the Fan Base, of Our Special Guest/Support Act. In the Interest of Personal Safety. I will continue, The Songstress Tour, alone," Baker posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) at the time. "Appropriate refunds will be made."

The producer (whose real name is Kenneth Brian Edmonds) also shared a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter) about the decision. “I am saddened by the news that Anita Baker has decided to remove me from 'The Songstress Tour,'" he wrote. "It's unfortunate and disheartening to see how things have played out via social media. While I was looking forward to the rest of the dates, I have nothing but love & respect for Anita and I wish her the best for the remainder of the tour."