NEW YORK — The New Jersey man accused of throwing a cellphone at singer Bebe Rexha during a New York City concert allegedly said he tried to hit her, according to a criminal complaint.
The Brooklyn-born Rexha left Sunday’s show at Lower Manhattan’s The Rooftop at Pier 17 after she was struck in the face by a phone.
“I was trying to see if I could hit her with the phone at the end of the show because it would be funny,” the suspect, Nicolas Malvagna, allegedly told a witness who spoke to police, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Malvagna, 27, of Manalapan, New Jersey, was arrested on charges including and assault and aggravated harassment. He was arraigned and released Monday, with his next appearance scheduled for July.
Rexha, 33, was hospitalized after the incident, the NYPD said. She posted an Instagram photo Monday showing her bruised and bandaged eye, writing, “Im good.”
She also posted a short TikTok video in which she shows her injured eye and sings “I’m good, yeah, I’m feeling all right” — lyrics from her hit song “I’m Good (Blue).”
On Sunday, a fan posted a Twitter video showing the moment Rexha was struck in the face. Another video shared by user Ross Bernaud shows Rexha holding her face as she is helped off the stage.
The concert was part of Rexha’s “Best F’n Night Of My Life” tour. Rexha plans to move forward with her next scheduled show Tuesday night in Philadelphia, she wrote on Instagram.
“Although the show ended in an unfortunate way it was still an amazing show in my hometown. Thank you so Much New York,” Rexha wrote Tuesday. “I love You. The Tour must go on!!! Philly next! Which show you coming to?!”
The artist, whose real name is Bleta Rexha, is a three-time Grammy nominee whose other songs include “Meant to Be” and “I’m a Mess.”
