We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us the most wholesome encounters they've had with celebrities, and it turns out many of them were about famous musicians. Here's what they had to say:
Disclaimer: We can't confirm 100% of these stories, but some of these people are supposedly speaking from their own experiences of meeting celebrities.
Note: Some submissions were pulled from this Reddit thread by user u/ASAP-_-Killerr and this Reddit thread by user u/willis1988.
Note: Not all submissions are from BuzzFeed Community or Reddit users.
"I got the chance to meet Kelly Clarkson. I stuck out my hand for a shake as I introduced myself, and she immediately said, 'Oh no, no!' I was crushed because she's my favorite singer, and I thought I made a mistake. Then, a second later, she said, 'BOY, YOU BETTER GIVE ME A HUG!' and squeezed me. I almost levitated to heaven. The next five or so minutes were so chill and fun — she’s awesome! I met her again about six years later, and had such a good time with her."
2. André 3000
"I met André 3000 in 2005 when I worked at movie theater in the outskirts of Atlanta. This was right after 'Hey Ya!' was played everywhere, so my nerdy-self knew of him, but didn't really know anything about him. He came up to my register for a coffee, and I admitted I knew he was famous but had forgotten his name. He laughed and told me who he was, and said he was there to see Sin City. I told him I'd keep quiet about him being there so he wouldn't get hassled, and then he immediately got hassled by, like, five teenagers when he was halfway across the lobby. He was a super nice guy — I told the woman he was there with that I felt bad he was getting bugged by everyone. It's my one celebrity encounter, so I'm glad I got to meet such a genuinely nice guy. I could easily picture other celebrities 'blowing up' if someone told them they didn't know their name."
3. Harry Styles
@yusufyuie I was outside a restaurant in Hollywood trying to pick up my take out order but couldn’t go in because I was with my puppy. Harry Styles saw my predicament, tapped me on the shoulder and said he could watch Oscar while I went in. What a guy
The dog's owner, Rory Carroll, told BuzzFeed in 2020: "I wouldn’t have let a stranger watch him, and was prepared to say no when I first heard this English accent ask me if I needed help. When I saw it was Harry Styles, I agreed since he seems like a decent, trustworthy guy."
4. Patti Smith
"While working in fine dinning for years, I spoke with many famous celebrities. One day I was working as a server during the lunch shift at my restaurant in the theatre district. I saw a woman looking for the bathroom ahead of me while I was walking into the kitchen. She turned around and it was Patti Smith (Patti Smith was the ultimate rock star to me — as a teenager I loved all of her songs, and I used to listen to them over and over again and take notes of her lyrics and books). I was standing there face-to-face with my hero while holding dirty dishes, and I completely geeked out: 'Patti Smith?! PATTI SMITH, I LOVE YOU!!!' I eventually composed myself and said: 'Your music means so much to me — Easter was a great album, and every song on it was excellent. Thank you for the art you've created.' She smiled and asked me what my name was, and said she'd tell her stage manager I could come watch her show that night from backstage."
"It was such an incredibly kind gesture, but the terrible thing was, I supposed to work as a manager that evening and I couldn't get out of it. So, I missed watching my idol preform from backstage — it's probably the greatest regret of my life. But in conclusion, Patti Smith was a wonderful kind person who's truly a great artist. I will always love you, Patti Smith."
"Aretha Franklin let me cut in front of her in a checkout line at Walmart in the middle of the night when only one register was open. Aretha and her entourage were buying sodas, and this Walmart was the only 24-hour store near the Mohegan Sun where she had just performed. She saw that I had my normal groceries, and because I would have been waiting behind her whole group for a long time, she offered me the chance to go first."
"I met Travis Barker at a Starbucks once. I was about to head outside, and he walked in with his hoodie drawn like he didn't want to be seen. But as soon as he opened the door to enter, he saw me wearing my Blink-182 shirt and uncovered his head from beneath his hoodie. We talked for just a minute, but he was SO chill and cool — just like you'd imagine. I asked for a photo, and he graciously obliged. He was a really cool guy."
7. Amy Lee from Evanescence
"In 2003, I was an intern for a radio station and Evanescence was a headliner at our radio-fest. I was working the broadcast tent, and Amy Lee was doing a Q&A with the crowd. A young woman asked her a question, and also asked if she could get a hug from her. Amy said: 'Sure! Just hang by the side of the stage and I'll come say hi when I'm done.' The Q&A ran long and the band had to rush backstage to get ready to perform, and my boss told me to tell the people waiting to ask questions that it was over. I told the young woman waiting for the hug that Amy had to leave, and off she went into the crowd crying thousands of tears. A minute later Amy came up to me and said: 'Where is she?' I told Amy I thought she had to go, so I told the young woman to leave. She said, 'Oh, no! I really wanted to meet her!' and she seemed so genuine."
"I felt awful. To the young woman at the Hartford show in 2003: I'm sorry! I was just an intern, and Amy really wanted to hug you."
8. Dave Grohl
"My older brother lived in Hollywood and has a great Dave Grohl story. His friend had just moved to Hollywood and after a night out, he ended up at a house party nearby. A couple had snuck off from the party and someone caught them having sex in the laundry room on the counter. 'Oh, shit. Here! If you're going to have sex in this house, use these sheets — they are awesome!' Dave Grohl then handed them a nice set of sheets to put on the counter so they could finish in relative comfort."
"Dave Grohl came into the record store I used to work at on my day off, so I missed him (ughhh), but I got the play-by-play from my coworker. One of my coworkers didn't recognize him at first, but eventually he did, which led to the following conversation. Coworker: 'Hey, man, is there anything I can help you fin— HOLY SHIT, you're Dave Grohl!' Dave Grohl: 'Haha, yeah.' Coworker: 'Oh, man, I totally did not play that cool. Umm...uh...oh, is there anything I can help you find?' Dave Grohl: 'I'm good, but thanks!' They left him alone, but at the end when he was checking out, he offered to sign some stuff and take pictures, which everyone took him up on. Apparently he was a super chill and nice guy."
9. Whitney Houston
"I had the chance to work with Whitney Houston for eight days on a film set as an extra. She was nice, kind, and personable, and her beauty was more striking in person. She was very professional and she did not miss a mark or a cue, and everybody on set cried when she started to sing for us. Whitney was personally very nice to me and complimentary — she spoke sweetly and in a motherly tone when she greeted people. I can still remember her friendly greetings when she arrived on set every day. That was one of best experiences of my life, and best experiences working on a film set. I learned a lot from her about professionalism on a film set, and about hard work ethic. She was there 12 hours a day and on point every minute. I watched how she interacted with the director and other actors and the crew — she was encouraging to the extras and other performers in the film."
"It was heartbreaking when she died — I still have the dress that I wore in the film, which she complimented me on."
10. Nick Jonas
"Nick Jonas is extremely soft-spoken and really kind. He called ahead to the restaurant I worked in at the time to book a table for his family — it was him, his parents, both grandmothers, his younger brother Frankie, and one of his grandfathers. Frankie was moving into college, and Nick was in town for a show — so he took them all to brunch. He was incredibly kind to the staff, he tipped really well, and he was adorably teasing Frankie about being the kid their parents would be most proud of (Frankie is the only one of the four Jonas brothers to go to college)."
11. Lady Gaga
"I used to bartend in New York City when Lady Gaga was still doing her indie cabaret electronica act (hula hooping, setting hairspray on fire, etc.) and she was always the best. Some of the performers in that scene were real pains in the ass, but she was genuinely wonderful to work with. I didn't understand her act at all, but she remembered everyone's name, always gave a proper thank you to everyone at the bar, and was respectful and friendly while still a real pro."
"Once Lady Gaga gave me a huge hug, listened to me, and genuinely thanked me for my support. She had someone from her team come over to look at my homemade outfit that was based on one of her outfits."
12. Prince
"I've been a chef for 20 years, but when I was first starting out, I worked at a small, fancy place in an affluent area in Toronto. One Tuesday (I still remember the day) we got a call that someone wanted to rent the whole place for dinner by himself. We said sure, he paid us to close the restaurant, and in walked Prince!!! He was married to a Canadian woman from Toronto, so they had a house nearby. He was the smallest little man I had ever seen — he sat silently eating dinner all to himself, and asked to not be disturbed. At the end of the meal, he came to say thank you to the head chef and I. I had listened to his music, but had never heard his 'normal' voice — in the deepest voice ever, he said: 'Thank you very much.' He was a super nice guy, and his presence was very powerful."
13. Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood from Fleetwood Mac
"Back in the late '90s I went to a Fleetwood Mac show on Halloween night. I went backstage after the show and as I walked into the green room, this blonde woman started tossing plastic spiders at me, and it turned out it was Stevie Nicks herself! She was so awesome, and after a few minutes, this massive tree of a man walked in toweling off his thin, grey hair. Mick Fleetwood walked in and said: 'I’m so sorry, but I had to take a fast shower — I was dripping sweat. I'm so sorry to cut into your time.' Stevie and Mick were so humble and so sweet."
14. Rihanna
"It was 2008 and I was continuing my college gig of waiting tables at the illustrious TGI Friday's. Rihanna’s 'Umbrella' was everywhere, including the sound system at the restaurant. The other staff members told me she loved going there whenever she was in Chicago. A couple of weeks later, I walked in at 4:30 p.m. for my dinner shift and there she was — she couldn’t have been nicer or more gorgeous. She took a photo with me and signed a stack of napkins for those who wanted them. #BestShiftEver."
15. Smash Mouth
"In 1999 I met everyone from Smash Mouth. I was staying the summer with my aunt in Michigan, and the neighbor's kid saw them at a bait and tackle shop and her dad invited them back to their house to fish. There was a tour bus parked in the neighbor's driveway all weekend — Steve refused to sign autographs, but the rest of the band did and showed us the tour bus. I remember one of the band members had a Nickelodeon PhotoBlaster camera he took pictures with. Steve also ran my cousin's boat into a sandbar and jumped in the lake fully clothed to push it off of it."
16. Aaliyah
"I met Aaliyah back in the day, sometime in the '90s on a British kids' TV show. I got to shake her hand and turned bright red when she called me cute — she preformed a song, called Back and Forth to us, and then met the audience after filming was done. She looked even better in person, and she was really cool, beautiful, and down-to-earth."
17. Fefe Dobson and her husband Yelawolf
"I met Fefe Dobson and her [boyfriend at the time] Yelawolf. I tattooed a tiny anchor on his head up in the corner by his hairline (he did a show in town and randomly ended up in the tattoo shop I worked in at the time). Fefe got the same anchor tattooed on her hand — they were incredibly nice and fun company, and really appeared to be in love (they made out in the lobby). He had already gotten a Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash tattoo on his head to honor his and Fefe's relationship. When they came in, I wasn't aware of their music or fame, so I treated them as I would anyone, and they seemed to appreciate that. They weren't even direct when I was like, 'So, what do you do for a living?' — they were the complete opposite of 'celebrity.' I would absolutely hang out with them in real life — it was pretty refreshing to meet musicians who appeared to have a healthy relationship with their fame."
18. Post Malone
"I was at a casino at 4 a.m. and someone spotted Post Malone and told me. I wanted to get a picture with him but, I also didn't want to disturb him while he was playing. He was betting a lot of money and he was losing a bunch, too — a few people were trying to sneak a picture, but phones weren't allowed at the tables and the dealers were asking them to leave. I was standing right behind Post's table, patiently waiting. After 30 minutes, he finally looked over at me and I told him I loved his music and asked if I could get a picture with him. He said yeah, for sure — when he goes outside for a smoke break, he'll take me with him. We went outside to the smoking area and he said, 'Thanks for waiting — you're a sweet dude' and then he let me take a picture with him. We briefly talked about his album, and then unfortunately I had to go."
19. Taylor Swift
"I got invited to Taylor Swift’s house for a secret listening session in 2019. I was a fan online, but wasn’t super loud in comparison to other Swifties. There were like, 113 of us there from all over the world, and Taylor went out of her way to meet every single fan there. She took a picture with everyone and made us cookies. When it was my turn, I had so much word vomit because I was so nervous — she was really understanding, and had a calming presence. When you're that big, you don't have to do any of those things — I thought it was amazing she welcomed us into her home."
20. Carlos Santana
"I worked as a waiter at a popular restaurant near San Francisco for a few years. It used to be a popular spot back in the '60s because it offered celebrities a place to dine without crowds of fans bombarding them. A lot of them would still visit on occasion during my employment there from 2009—12. Carlos Santana came in once and was seated in my section, but I gave the table to another server higher up on the food chain who had waited on Carlos more than once in the past. He was wearing white pants, a white jacket, and a fancy-looking white hat. He ate a bowl of bouillabaisse and was also one of the first customers to walk in that day. Most first comers during the summer snag tables on the patio that look out across the bay, but he wanted to sit inside next to a window. After his meal, he went through the kitchen and took group pictures with all of the cooks and bussers. He seemed really friendly."
21. Steven Tyler
"Steven Tyler's kids (as well as Joe Perry and Brad Whitford's kids) went to school with my brother. The first time my mother met Steven Tyler was at my brother's karate demonstration — she thought he was poor because he was wearing his classic rags. She had been to Aerosmith concerts before, and after she talked to him for a while, another mother ran up to her and asked what it was like to talk to Steven Tyler. My mom refused to believe it was him, and that he was famous. Tyler was his stage name, and he'd introduced himself by his real name: Steven Tallarico."
"His house was bonkers when he lived in Marshfield, MA — it was in the woods, and had a bunch of trees that had been cut off 8—10 feet up. The stumps had been carved into bears, his barn had shingles shaped like feathers, and the peak had shingles that flowed into an eagle's head."
22. Ricky Martin
"Ricky Martin came in to an outdoor furniture store I worked at in Miami — he was slightly disguised (wearing a hat, sunglasses, and beard). The only other customers in the store had a young daughter who recognized him immediately — he took the time to talk and take photos with the young fan. I can only imagine the excitement of an 8-year-old girl around the peak of 'Livin' la Vida Loca' meeting Ricky Martin in such a quiet and personal environment. He was a super nice guy — I couldn't find him the double outdoor chaise lounge he wanted, but he wasn't mad at me."
23. George Harrison
"When my dad was about 9 years old in 1964, he was on a plane from LA to London in coach with my grandmother. The stewardess came back and excitedly asked him if he wanted to meet a Beatle. My dad said sure, but he didn’t really know the Beatles at that age, and he only said yes because that’s the kind of thing you do at that age. He sat on the couch next to George Harrison (it was obviously a different time) and he folded up his newspaper. He asked my dad, 'So, do ya like my music?' and my dad responded: 'Ummm, no.' Apparently George smiled and went back to reading his newspaper. My dad sat there like a doofus for, like, 5—10 minutes until the stewardess came and got him. So, George Harrison was cool to children, and my dad’s the most stone-cold 9-year-old ever."
24. "Weird Al" Yankovic
"It was the very late '80s, and my friends and I used to hang out on the Sunset Strip every weekend at the Whisky a Go Go, the Rainbow Bar & Grill, The Roxy, and Gazzarri's. One night while we were standing and chatting in front of Gazzarri's, 'Weird Al' Yankovic came out, and my nerd-girl-self instantly recognized him (I was a regular listener of Dr. Demento, a DJ, in my early teens). 'Weird Al' was wearing his famous Hawaiian shirt, glasses, jeans, and sneakers. I called out to him and he came right over, shook my hand, and we had a light and pleasant conversation. I've met other famous musicians before, but 'Weird Al' will always be a stand-out for me because he was very down-to-earth, cheerful, and didn't hit on me. After he went on his way, my friends were all: 'Who was that?' xD."
25. Miley Cyrus
"I was working on The Last Song with Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth where I had many kind interactions with both of them, but this particular one stands out the most. We were filming in a community college (staged as a hospital) and during a break, I went into the restroom — it was totally empty except for Miley, who was sitting up on the wall of sinks with her makeup artist, just chatting. I really had to go, so I sheepishly apologized and said I'd be quick, in case I was interrupting. As I was heading into the stall, Miley said, 'Do you want me to turn the water on for you?! I get SO pee-shy. Here, I'll just turn it on for you.' I chuckled and said, 'It's okay, I lived in a sorority house with 30 other women, so you learn to get over it quickly — but thanks!' As I washed my hands, Miley divulged how she wished someone had been there to turn the water on for her at the Grammys when Mariah Carey was in the stall next her."
26. Beyoncé
"My friend was super nervous and panicked when she met Beyoncé, so Bey held her hand until she felt OK."
27. Pharrell
"I went to some local radio station festival and N.E.R.D. was playing in the afternoon (I hadn't heard them before, but I knew who Pharrell was and wanted to see if I liked them as a group). They were amazing, but right before their last song, Pharrell told everyone to come forward to the stage — I was up front already, but I'm in a wheelchair and get nervous around crowds, so I went to the side because I didn't want to get trampled. He saw me and motioned to a security guard to get me up on stage — I was hanging on the side of the stage and he called me over to the center of the stage while they performed 'Rock Star.' It was quite amazing — they were just the nicest guys."
28. Joey Ramone
"In late 1997 at a bar in Florida, some friends and I went to a punk show. I was sitting at the bar waiting for the band to start, and I decided to engage with the man next to me (I knew who he was, but didn't want to go all super-fan on him). Apparently he was there acting as the punk band's tour manager. After the show, my friends and I were waiting for a ride outside when the singer of the punk band and the touring manager came outside. My friends mobbed the singer for autographs, and the tour manager just stood back with a huge smile on his face (probably because he was relieved he wasn't being mobbed). I walked up to him and told him it was great meeting him earlier, and we went out separate ways. My friends asked me why I was talking to the tour manager, and I finally informed them that yeah, it was cool to see the punk singer (former Misfits guitarist Bobby Steele), but I was busy talking to Joey Ramone from the Ramones."
29. Reba McEntire
"I was waiting to board a plane with friends when I swore I saw Reba — they told me I was imagining it, and not a minute later, those same people rose to their feet and ran over to meet the legend herself (I remained frozen in my chair). All of a sudden, I heard the most country-sounding voice yell 'Paige!' from across the room — Reba called my name, I walked over to her, and she immediately grabbed my hand and asked if I would like a hug. I nodded. She took photos and talked with us until it was time to board. She was unbelievably kind, genuine, and down to earth, and I was so lucky to have met her."
30. Tony Bennett
"I spoke to Tony Bennett while his band was doing a sound check before a concert. He was standing by himself by the stage, and I told him how much I enjoyed his music. He chatted with me for about 10 minutes, asking about my job, how long I had worked there, etc. — he was a man of extreme charm and class."
31. The Temptations
"I don't really remember this because I was an infant, but being the first grandchild, my grandfather paid for my mother to fly to Connecticut from North Carolina to visit her family. And guess who was on the flight: the Temptations!! She said every one of those men held me and helped my mother the entire trip!!! She said being a new, young mother on a plane with a newborn ended up being the greatest thing — every time I hear a Temptations song, I smile! 🥰."
32. James Taylor
"I waited on James Taylor once at a restaurant in New Preston, CT, and he was nicer than all of his songs. I didn't ask for an autograph, but I did tell him that my dad was a big fan of his. Before he left, he came into the kitchen and handed me a note that read: 'Dear dad, carry on — love, James Taylor.'"
33. Madonna
"In 1989, teenage me was learning to rollerblade in Central Park — I hadn't mastered stopping yet, so I usually just crashed into something stationary or threw myself on the ground. Well, I was trying to move out of the path of a biker and fell into two joggers, one of whom turned out to be Madonna. She was very sweet, she brushed off my apologies, and she reminded me to always wear my helmet."
34. Snoop Dogg
"I met Snoop Dogg in an elevator at LAX. He was with an assistant and we asked if we could take a picture with him. The assistant said that Snoop wasn’t able to take pictures at the moment. My uncle chimed in and said he was going to break our hearts, and Snoop said, 'Snoop don’t break any girls' hearts!' We got a picture outside the elevator."
35. Mariah Carey
"Mariah Carey came into a bar I was working at late one night a few years ago. She was alone (I think her security was lingering outside), but she was fully decked-out in diamonds and the highest heels I had ever seen. She graciously took pictures with the staff and the few remaining customers — she sang along with the jukebox, and everyone freaked out that they were hearing Mariah Carey sing live! She then sat down and talked to my boss for a couple of hours, and they had a nice, long one-on-one conversation. She lightheartedly told him the Prosecco he served her was flat (it was), but she laughed it off and drank it anyway. She left a very generous tip, and said she'd be back soon."
"Her security eventually came in and pulled her out of the bar — she was really down-to-earth for someone who's so famous. My boss said she seemed suspicious of most people, but was very kind."
36. Julie Andrews
"I met Julie Andrews during my job as a hostess. She was running late for her reservation and was going to a show, so I took her order over the phone. When she got to the restaurant, she said, 'A thousand thank yous and apologies.' Then as she was leaving, she slipped $50 into my hand and told me I was amazing. I straight-up cried."
"My aunt was working at Bed Bath & Beyond in LA and helped Julie Andrews pick out some towels. She was apparently just as regal in person and very nice."
37. B.B. King
"B.B. King was playing a gig at my college, and I was on my way to teach racquetball. He got out of a very nondescript Lincoln and then grabbed Lucille [his electric guitar] from the backseat. I waved and said, 'Have a good show tonight, Mr. King!' He replied, 'Thank you, son. I surely will!' Middle of the afternoon, between classes, just him and me."
38. Jennifer Hudson
"I had the pleasure of meeting Jennifer Hudson (well, I was actually hired to do a home inspection for her). Even though I'd just started learning how to play the ukulele, I asked her if she wouldn’t mind singing if I played her a song, and I was floored when she agreed to it. She was so sweet and humble, and was gracious enough to do a duet with me — it still gives me goosebumps thinking about how extremely talented she was. I was completely gobsmacked at how amazing her voice really was, which paled in comparison to how incredibly nice she was."
39. And Britney Spears
"I went to a Britney Spears concert in Las Vegas and my friend happened to know someone who worked with Britney, so we got the chance to meet her before the show! When I finally got to see her she was incredibly shy and quiet, and just before I left, Britney said, 'You're really pretty!' I could have just DIED right then and there."
Note: Some submissions and posts have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have *you* ever had a positive or negative celebrity encounter? Let us know in the comments below!
