Iconic Musician Breaks Silence After Reportedly Collapsing on Stage: Patti Smith Speaks Out

Patti Smith is “absolutely fine” after collapsing on stage in Brazil Wednesday night. The legendary singer-songwriter, 78, was performing with the Berlin group Soundwalk Collective at the Teatro Cultura Artística in São Paulo when she seemingly collapsed and was taken backstage in a wheelchair in an incident that Smith said Thursday was “grossly exaggerated.”

“This is [me] letting everyone know that I am fine,” the rocker and poet wrote on Instagram alongside a selfie of herself smiling and waving at the camera. “I had some post migraine dizziness. Had a small incident, left the stage, and returned 10 minutes later and talked to the people, told them I was fine and sang them Wing and Because the Night.”

According to the Associated Press, Smith had been in São Paulo for a two-day presentation of the “Correspondences” project with the Soundwalk Collective. About 30 minutes into the performance, and while reciting some of her writings alongside musicians, journalist Micheline Alves said the Just Kids author “started moving backward and fell.” Video shared online showed Smith was assisted backstage and returned shortly after in a wheelchair and told fans, “You’ve been so patient and unfortunately I got sick and the doctor said I can’t finish so we will have to figure something. I feel very badly.”

Smith said in her Thursday statement that following the incident, she was “checked out by an excellent Doctor and was absolutely fine.”

“Please do not accept any other story,” the Because the Night” singer concluded. “With all the strife in the world, this explainable incident does not merit so much attention. Thank you everyone for your concern. Trust me I am fine.”

In a statement shared with the AP, the musician added that “the whole thing has been grossly exaggerated” and said her Instagram post “speaks for itself. I was checked out by an excellent doctor and was absolutely fine. Please do not accept any other account. With all the strife in the world, this explainable incident does not merit so much attention.”

Smith’s collaborators, Soundwalk Collective, also addressed the incident in an Instagram Stories post, explaining that the singer had been suffering from an “intense migraine” for “the past couple days, and had some dizziness on stage, but she still wanted to be there for all of us and you and perform today.”

“She is now being cared for by the best doctors in the most loving way and will be back on stage tomorrow night,” the statement continued. “Patti says that she is tremendously grateful for your patience and forgiveness and she sends her love to all who attended.”

Smith’s and Soundwalk Collective’s “Correspondences” project is set to run from Jan. 16 to Feb. 22. A month later, on March 26, Smith will be honored at the Music Of Patti Smith concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City.