Korra Obidi gave a pretty memorable audition when she tried out for So You Think You Can Dance Season 16, performing a high-energy number while pregnant, and ending her dance by jumping into a split. Obidi is making headlines again years later for a much scarier reason, as the dancer reported on social media that she was attacked outside of her Airbnb in Westminster, London, reportedly suffering stab wounds and having acid thrown in her face.
An Instagram video was posted April 11 that shows Korra Obidi in the moments following the incident. The Nigerian dancer is visibly shaken as she says her face is “burning” and asks a bystander for their Coke to wash the unknown liquid off her face. Another person points to a spot of blood on Obidi’s head. Watch the alarming video below:
The dancer updated her followers in the comments, saying the liquid that was allegedly thrown on her was salicylic acid, which is sometimes found in anti-acne products. She wrote:
Guys I’m in the hospital. Safety with travel is no longer a luxury but necessity. The acid was salicylic and I was lucky. Love you guys.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed that they’d identified the substance that was thrown on Korra Obidi’s face and said officials are investigating the situation. In a statement, they told E! News:
Officers attended and found a woman in her 30s with a cut to her hand and reporting a liquid had been thrown at her face. She was taken to hospital for treatment. The liquid was later confirmed to be a non-noxious cosmetic item. Another woman left the scene prior to police arrival. An investigation is underway.
Korra Obidi provided an update on April 12, telling people that she was “really frazzled” and still shocked and shaking over what had happened. The dancer addressed some people's skepticism surrounding the attack, saying in the video:
I understand there are a lot of artists who have, in the past, tried to create scenarios like this for ‘clout’ chasing, but I promise you, I’m not one of them. I don’t need that kind of clout. It’s not that deep for me. I just want to sing and dance and love on people. I love people and I love to sing and dance, and that’s it. What happened yesterday, I escaped with the best possible scenario.
She went on to show that she’d suffered only minor injuries on her face, hand and leg, saying she was grateful they weren’t worse. That is still a pretty scary situation, and our thoughts go out to the dancer.
Korra Obidi may not have made it past the auditions on Season 16 of So You Think You Can Dance, but a new group of dancers are trying to make a name for themselves in the current season on Fox. The series returns to the 2024 TV schedule at 9 p.m. ET Monday, April 15.
