Michael Jackson Held On To Fan Who Climbed Up His Crane During Concert In Resurfaced Video [Watch]
Michael Jackson exemplified how artists should stand by the motto "the show must go on" despite surprises during concerts.
In 1996, the King of Pop had a concert in Seoul, Korea. While performing his single "Earth Song," Jackson approached a crane to give the performance a special effect. As the crane slowly lifted him, one fan rushed, climbed up and hugged him, as shown in the resurfaced video shared on X, formerly Twitter.
Jackson didn't stop his performance and continued singing. However, he securely held onto the fan with one hand to keep him from falling. When the crane went down, the fan held onto one of his arms and pulled him as the security personnel rushed to keep the fan away from the artist. During the entire time, Jackson appeared unbothered and continued with his performance.
And this is the same performer they're trying to compare everyone else too?
— Brindille (@twig_lalaland) May 21, 2024
Lmfao ok. He's unmatched. Forever.
The viral video has garnered over 9 million views as of this writing and received several reactions, with many praising the "Smooth Criminal" singer for how he handled the incident.
"Honestly, I feel like Michael holding the guy for dear life matches the song perfectly. He singing about treating people right, and he did just that," one commented.
Another shared the same sentiment, writing: "I completely agree with you! Michael's action of holding the guy tightly was a perfect match for the song's message. It really showed how much he cares about treating people with kindness and respect."
"Most Celebrities would have stopped singing, but not Michael Jackson, he's a legend and very pure and kind-hearted person," a third person opined.
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"Wow, that's a powerful moment! It really shows the dedication and care Michael Jackson had for his fans. It's incredible how, even in the midst of performing, he prioritized the fans' safety. This just goes to show the impact artists can have beyond their music," a different netizen remarked. "It's a great reminder of the importance of compassion and going the extra mile for others."
The track Jackson performed in the clip, "Earth Song," was one of the most powerful songs he released since it reflected his conscious effort to bring society together. The single references the beauty of nature, how humans exploited it and the effects of war.
"What have we done to the world? / Look what we've done / What about all the peace / That you pledge your only son?" a portion of the lyrics read.
In one interview, Jackson shared how he felt while writing the song. He admitted it was painful for him as he acknowledged how the Earth was probably feeling when humans mishandled its available resources.
"I remember writing 'Earth Song' when I was in Austria, in a hotel. And I was feeling so much pain and so much suffering of the plight of the planet Earth," Jackson said of the song. "And for me, this is Earth's Song because I think nature is trying so hard to compensate for man's mismanagement of the Earth. And with the ecological unbalance going on, and a lot of the problems in the environment, I think Earth feels the pain, and she has wounds, and it's about some of the joys of the planet as well."
He added, "But this is my chance to pretty much let people hear the voice of the planet. And this is 'Earth Song'. And that's what inspired it. And it just suddenly dropped into my lap when I was on tour in Austria."
