Why Ann Wilson Doesn’t Like Fans Taking Selfies at Heart Shows

Count Heart singer Ann Wilson among the classic rockers who find it distracting when concertgoers have their cell phones out during shows.

During an appearance on the Broken Record podcast, the frontwoman was asked how seeing cell phones in the crowd affects her performance.

“It does change things,” Wilson admitted, “especially when [fans] come up to the front of the stage and they turn around so that you’re in the backdrop and they want to take a selfie with you as a background. I mean, that’s really distracting, because you just want to sort of jump out of the way.”

Wilson went on to note that she understood fans’ desire to capture the moment.

“To be fair, it’s a big night for them and they want to preserve some little memory of it,” the singer offered. Still, that doesn’t mean she enjoys being part of the selfies. “I’m not a backdrop.”

READ MORE: 25 Essential 1980s Rock + Metal Albums to Pass Down to Your Children

Heart on Tour

Heart are touring extensively throughout 2024. In April, the band kicked off their Royal Flush tour alongside Cheap Trick, which has dates scheduled through the end of the year.

The tour marks a return for Heart, their first extended trek since 2019.

“It was time. There was no longer any reason to hold off on it,” Wilson explained. “I thought, well, the time is right. Let’s see if we can bring back the big guns. And [Nancy] was into it. We had some negotiations to do – who’s going to be in the band, what type of a show we’re going to do – but we came to understandings and all that.”