Grammy nominated singer asked by Delta flight attendant to stop singing
A Grammy-nominated gospel singer was told to be quiet by a Delta flight attendant after she started singing for other passengers.
Bobbi Storm, 36, shared a video to her Instagram page of a flight attendant telling her she needed to sit down and be quiet after she got up to start performing to others on the flight.
The situation escalated to the point that the male attendant told her she would not be flying if she was not quiet.
The singer from Detroit claimed she is featured on tracks by Maverick City Music, a Christian group that has recently been nominated for two Grammy’s, including “The Maverick Way” for best Gospel album.
The video captures the singer in the aisle when an attendant asked her to sit back down.
“Can you just sit down and be quiet?” the flight attendant asked.
“The seatbelt sign is off. It’s not a disturbance,” Ms Strom said, but complied and sat down.
The singer continued to introduce herself to the passengers sitting around her.
“I used to sing on planes a long time ago,” Ms Storm announced. “I just found out I’m up for two Grammys. My very first time, you guys.”
Some passengers looked impressed and clapped, asking for the singer’s name.
“I sing for the Lord, and my song is out on all platforms. It’s called ‘We Can’t Forget Him.’ I wanna share this with you guys,” she said before she was about to start performing for the people around her.
The video then showed the Delta flight attendant then came over and asked the singer, “Are you able to be quiet?”
Ms Storm retaliated, asking why she had to stop if the other passengers were “enjoying it.”
“Well, I’m not enjoying it,” the attendant said in return. “I’m asking you, can you please be quiet?”
“Am I gonna go to jail if I don’t?” Ms Storm retorted.
The flight attendant repeated himself, visibly growing more irritated with the singing passenger.
“Please answer the question,” he relayed. “Are you willing and able to be quiet right now?”
“I’m doing what the Lord is telling me to do,” Ms Storm said confidently, adamant to perform her song for the flight.
“I’m asking you a question, yes or no?” the Delta employee asked for the third time.
“I’m your flight leader; I need you to follow my instructions. My instructions are for you to answer my question. Are you able to be quiet right now?”
Instead of answering his question, Ms Storm turned to her captive audience and asked, “What do you guys think?” But no one was heard interjecting into the tense conversation between the singer and the member of the flight crew.
“I’m asking you, ma’am,” the attendant said, desperately trying to engage with the singer.
“I’m asking you guys,” the singer said, avoiding eye contact with the attendant and staring at her audience.
Eventually, the Delta employee threatened the Grammy-nominated passenger with the possibility of her being escorted off the flight.
“If you’re not able to follow my instruction, you will not be taking this flight.”
Ms Storm recoiled after this revelation. “If that’s the case, then that’s fine… if you’re the person in charge of it all, then that’s fine.’
I’m the flight leader, yes,” the attendant said, with slight relief in his voice that he was able to quieten the singing passenger.
“Okay, alright, thank you,” the flight attendant said and walked off.
Waiting for the Delta employee to leave, Ms Storm then continued to the people around her, but in a quiet voice, “I’ll sing it on a low for y’all in the back if that’s okay.”
“I don’t know the issue. No one else has ever had an issue,” she said before performing her song in a hushed tone.
The video circulated around social media, and many criticised the singer for disturbing other passengers and not respecting the fact that others may have wanted peace and quiet, not a gospel rendition.
“Her intentions are good, but in the wrong place and in the wrong time,” one user wrote. “Some people really feel like they are the main character in everybody else’s story.”
Ms Storm took to her Instagram and posted two videos to defend her choice to start belting out her music on the plane.
She claimed that Delta had called her about the viral incident to apologise to her.
She said she did not want the flight attendant to be “reprimanded where he loses his job,” but she hoped he could “learn a valuable lesson on how to treat each other.”
Ms Storm said that she did not break any rules but instead was just “spreading my joy with people after they gave me the go to do so.”
In a follow-up video, she decided to explain what led her to get up and start singing for the passengers.
She said when she boarded the Delta flight, loud music blasted out of the plane’s speakers, giving her an overwhelming feeling that she wanted to start singing.
The Christian singer turned to the person sitting next to her and said that she used to sing on flights, and she had the urge to do it today.
Initially, she decided not to and fell asleep as the plane was taxiing on the runway.
But then, she claimed there was an announcement that the plane had to return to the gate to fix a maintenance issue.
Ms Storm said she took this as a sign that God was telling her she should recite her music to other passengers.
“I knew instantly that was God,” she said.
While Ms Storm’s music often features Christian and gospel songs, she said that her urge to get up and perform was “not about me pressing my beliefs on anyone else,” but instead, she wanted to “share something that I’m proud of.”
She said that after her double Grammy nominations, she wanted to “spread love” and share with others her achievements, and she did not intend to disturb anyone.
Delta representative told The Independent that the company had “been in contact with the customer,” referring to Ms Storm and added that “for the safety of our customers and crew, it’s always important to follow crew instructions.”