A surprise dental emergency forced the singer off stage mid-performance during a recent show. However, her candid retelling, and quick recovery, have drawn praise for both humor and professionalism.
An incident unfolded during Leann Rimes’ set at The Skagit Casino Resort in Washington on Friday night. In a video shared on Instagram the following day, the 42-year-old singer recalled that she had just begun performing “One Way Ticket” when something went wrong.
“I feel something pop in my mouth,” she explained. For Rimes, who noted she’s undergone numerous dental surgeries, the moment was instantly alarming.
“I have a bridge in the front, and it fell out in the middle of my song… I panicked,” she admitted. In the clip, she described calling a quick halt mid-verse, running to the side of the stage, and “popped it back in.”
Rather than let the mishap derail the show, she immediately returned to the mic. “Then I just had to get real with everybody and tell them exactly what was happening, or else I would have had to walk off stage,” she said.
For the rest of the concert, Rimes kept going — but not without effort. She demonstrated how she spent the remainder of her set pressing her teeth into place between lyrics.
The challenge became most obvious, she noted, during “Can’t Fight the Moonlight.” The song’s pronunciation demands suddenly became her biggest obstacle.
“I never knew how many Fs and Ths and Shs that I have in my songs,” she joked. Still, she powered through to the end of the show.
“I don’t usually have firsts in my career. That was a first and hopefully a last. I hope my teeth stay in tonight,” she reflected with a laugh. She quipped that if anything flew out during the next performance, front-row fans should “please return them.”
After the concert, Rimes followed up with a backstage video of herself performing “More to Lose” in a relaxed setting with her guitarist. Despite the ordeal, she sang smoothly in a flowing paisley dress and wide-brimmed hat.
Her caption read: “Nothing more to lose, when you’ve already lost your teeth and dignity on stage 😂.” The mix of humor and honesty resonated widely with netizens.
One person commented, “How wonderful you are able to find some humor in a very difficult dental mishap.” Another wrote, “Wow. Impressive to manage that whole situation vocally and with such honesty and professionalism.”
Actress Mary Steenburgen also weighed in, praising Rimes for her composure: “You just gave a new definition to the phrase ‘being a pro’ ❤.” A fourth comment captured the spirit of many responses: “OMG… love how honest you are and can laugh at yourself. I applaud your honestly [sic]. 👏👏👏”
That transparency, Rimes suggested, was part of what kept her on stage. She said that since she couldn’t do anything about the incident, she either had to “walk off or just hold my teeth in and sing.”
In the same video, she encouraged others who might face unexpected mishaps mid-performance: “The show can go on even in the midst of sheer, utter embarrassment. You just got to be real with people.”
The moment added a surprising twist to what had otherwise been a high-profile season for Rimes. Just a month earlier, she had attended the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards in Frisco, Texas.
She also took the stage, wearing a sheer white gown, and performed her breakthrough hit “Blue” to a cheering crowd. She was accompanied by violins as she belted out the lyrics.
