First covered by local newspaper Folha de S Paulo and then picked up by the Associated Press, there have been numerous reports about Patti Smith collapsing on stage during a performance in Brazil with Berlin group Soundwalk Collective.
According to these sources, after suffering a days-long migraine, the singer-songwriter and poet passed out about 30 minutes into the collaborative show while reading a piece about the climate crisis with musical backing from the collective.
Smith was reportedly taken backstage in a wheelchair after her fall, later returning to apologize for having to cut the performance short. While these publications are saying she cancelled the rest of the gig, the artist herself claimed in an Instagram post that, 10 minutes later, she came back out and sang "Wing" and "Because the Night."
"I was checked out by an excellent Doctor and was absolutely fine. Please do not accept any other story," she wrote of the incident of "post-migraine dizziness." She added, "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."
Smith was hospitalized due to "sudden illness" during an Italian tour in 2023, but was released in "good health" a couple days later.