Once you make it big as a musician and are sell-out arena concerts, you can come to expect a certain amount of luxury that comes with this lifestyle. All the big artists are put up in expansive backstage suites that have dressing rooms, private showers, and much more. These artists also have access to the catering options, which coming from someone who has seen what this is like first hand, is pretty awesome. When negotiating with venues, some artists like to put in requests of certain things that they demand backstage. Often this will be things like “champagne in the room”, but a few musicians are known to make some pretty strange requests. Here are ten musicians that have insane pre-show demands.
10. Jay-Z
Jay-Z is a popular American rapper, who has also made a successful business career for himself. He has toured with many notable musicians, and puts on massive arena shows. Additionally he is known to request some strange pre-show demands. Jay-Z typically asks for 7 dressing rooms, the room temperature to be at 72 degrees, two matching end tables, two cases of Fiji Water (one that is cold, one that is room temperature), six cans of Coke, six cans of Red Bull, one jar of “good quality” peanut butter, and one jar of “good quality” jelly.
9. Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga also has some strange backstage demands before putting on a show, most notably an entire smoothy station. She is known to ask for two bottles of white whine, a cushioned office chair, a pack of straw, four unscented candles, a humidifier, three fans, Yves veggie hot dogs, a smoothie station, and a plate of “non-smelly cheese”, among other things.
8. Eminem
Rapper Eminem is known to make some crazy request that are part of his pre-show ritual, as he likes to go on stage with a fresh pump since he requests a set of dumbbells to workout with. He also asks for 24 diet coke bottles, 48 bottles of Daisani or Poland Spring specifically noting “No Evian”, two loaves of bread, six lunchables, and one jar of banana pepper rings.
7. Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey has a fairly long list of backstage demands, some of which are odd. She asks that the entrance leads to the living room and not the dressing room, the room has to have drapes, there needs to be “8 tall, leafy plants”, the temperature has to be “about 75 degrees”, there needs to be a three seat couch that does not have any patterns on it, 3 bottles of Chardonnay, 12 Cokes, 12 diet Cokes, 4 Joe Malone vanilla candles, 12 vanilla protein drinks, and three whole lemons, among others.
6. Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift makes are list due to her odd requests. They aren’t really strange, just something you would expect a college student. She asks for a stick of butter, 3 boxes of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, eight Red Bulls, 12 Corona’s, 12 New Castle’s, an avocado, and two pints of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream. Also if she arrives before 11 am, you have to pick up a Grande Iced Caramel Latte with 2 sweet-n-lows and a Grande Iced Americano with 2 sweet-n-lows and soy milk for her.
5. Sir Paul McCartney
Legendary member of The Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney makes some pretty insane pre-show requests as well. All lamps need to be halogen floor lamps, the room needs to have six leafy plants, a few flower arrangements, and twenty towels. He also want’s only animal free materials in the limousine and the room, and you cannot bring leather, fur, or meat in there also. Additionally you can’t provide artificial prints that resemble animal fur as well.
4. Kanye West
Kanye West also is found on our list with some pretty wacky demands, which shouldn’t come as a a suprise. In addition to demanding a barber’s chair, Carmex lip balm, and shower shoes, Kanye also asks for a tub of plain yogurt, a bowl of assorted nuts, a bottle of hot sauce, toothpicks, a bottle of Hennessy, a bottle of Sky or Absolut Vodka, a bottle of Patron Silver, and four packs of beer.
3. Adele
Adele has a long list of request for her backstage room before she goes on, some of which are odd. She asks for chicken salad sandwiches, Marlboro Lights, high-quality red whine, and six metal teaspoons paired with “six, large mugs that haven’t been used and have been washed”. She also specifically bans organic honey. I wasn’t even aware that honey could be anything else other than organic.
2. Beyoncé
Beyoncé is yet another artist who we see makes some pretty strange requests before a show. She specifically asks that her room to be maintained at 78 degrees, four rose scented candles, absolutely no Coca-Cola or Coca-Cola related products, and chicken legs “heavily seasoned” with cayenne pepper.
1. Rihanna
Rihanna has some pretty specific and strange demands for her backstage room that have been known to include white drapes to cover lockers, a plush and animal print throw rug, 5 AC power outlets, a humidifier, six Archipelago Black Forest Candles (they have a “backup request” incase these are unavailable), and 4 clear vases with white tulips. The room also has to be draped in either dark blue or black drapes with “icy blue chiffon” on top.
Photos by Uriel Sinai, Kevin Winter, Stuart C. Wilson, Kevork Djansezian, CF Publicity, Mike Coppola, Larry Busacca, Kevin Winter, Jason Merritt, Larry Busacca from Getty Images
