Addressing the trainwreck on stage at Crash My Playa.
At the end of last week, Bailey Zimmerman performed at Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa Festival, which is held annually in January in Cancun, Mexico. The relaxed festival features island vibes, beachside listening, and concerts from a pool, and lots and lots of drinks… but fans still expect killer performances from the artists on the lineup.
They are paying to fly out of the country to see them play, so it’s not a cheap festival.
While artists like Lainey Wilson, Ella Langley, Jason Aldean, and more were laying down stellar sets, one artist left fans questioning what was going on. When Bailey Zimmerman took the stage for his set, fans immediately noticed something was off. The “Rock And A Hard Place” singer was finding himself in that position, as he appeared intoxicated during his set.
The high-energy performer jumped around the stage as usual, but he tripped and fell, struggled vocally, and, at one point, even forgot the words to his own song, making up a new version on the spot.
@christineidaho I can’t lie – I was so excited for this song! I think we deserve a redo! Haha #baileyzimmerman #crashmyplaya #lukebryan #countrymusic #crashmyplaya2025 #massfollowing ♬ original sound – 🌟Christine🌟 Idaho 🏡
Fans in the comments saw it right away:
“That’s not normal, Bailey Zimmerman’s mood. He’s clearly intoxicated. Any true fan would know that.”
“Me singing karaoke at my local dive bar.”
“This is alcohol-related. He’s young and loving life.”
Although fans were quick to spot the reason Zimmerman’s performance was not like his usual sets, I found it odd that some fans were almost defending him. Being a musician is far from an average 9-5 office job, which means you can sneak a few before taking the stage, but that does not mean you get to be trashed while performing.
Fans pay their hard-earned money to see you, and if this is your first live performance, it could quickly turn a loyal fan into a hater.
@nikklg Just when you thought TikTok was gone and you were in the clear. Maybe next time @Bailey Zimmerman Hopefully you see @Luke Bryan on a golf course again. 😂😂😂 Too much fun at crash my playa. #cmp #cancun #crashmyplaya2025 #baileyzimmerman #lukebryan #tequila ♬ original sound – Nikki
Of course, Bailey isn’t the first artist to be sloppy on stage, and he surely won’t be the last, but he DID take the time to own up to it and apologize. Respect.
In the social media clip, he admits that he drank too much before hitting the stage and is ashamed of his actions.
“So, I’d like to talk about something that’s been eating me alive. Last weekend down in Cancun, Mexico, I’m sure everyone has seen the videos of me playing absolutely awful. And singing absolutely awful. And I feel like you guys deserve an explanation from me because you’ve had my back through the highs and lows and through every mistake.
So, what happened was I decided to drink that day, which was a mistake, and I got up on stage, and I was too drunk to play. And I sang awful, I played awful. Nobody got the show they wanted or paid for, and I’m disappointed in myself.”
Zimmerman discusses how this portrayal of him as a Christian man is inaccurate. He then promises fans that he will do everything he can to ensure this does not happen again.
“If you’ve been to my shows, you know how much I’ve talked about God since Day 1, and it was an awful representation of that. I’m embarrassed and I’m gonna do everything in my power to make sure this never happens again. I’m just asking for a little grace. Man, growing up is interesting, and it’s not an excuse, but, man, thank you to everybody who’s got my back.”
Zimmerman’s apology seems genuine and shows courage to swallow one’s pride and right one’s wrongs.
That said, it did make me laugh when he mentioned that this does not reflect the man who stands on stage and talks about God… given Chad Kroeger once told an audience that Zimmerman lost a bet and had to perform on MDMA.
“Bailey and I made a little bet with each other this afternoon on the boat. We said whoever loses has to play the show high on MDMA. Bailey lost. You see that stoned little f***er dancing all over the stage high off his as**?”
@kahreesta my fav nickelback moments from @Coast City Country friday night 😅👌 #bcplace #vancouver #country #festival #goodvibes ♬ original sound – Krista
All in all, props to Bailey for owning it. It happens to the best of us, but most of us aren’t expected to perform when we’re a little too sauced up. Hopefully it becomes a teachable moment for him.