Singer and Australian Idol judge Amy Shark has faced a significant public backlash after posting a video on TikTok that appeared to mock a mother struggling with a crying infant during a flight.
The viral video and fan reaction
In the now-controversial clip, the 39-year-old musician, whose real name is Amy Louise Billings, is seen reacting with visible impatience to the sound of a baby crying loudly nearby. The ARIA Award-winning artist pouted directly into the camera as the infant's screams continued, sarcastically captioning the video with a single word: 'yay'.
The post quickly drew criticism from her followers, who flooded the comments section to label her behaviour as 'unkind' and 'rude'. Many expressed sympathy for the unseen mother, suggesting the singer lacked empathy for a parent who was likely already overwhelmed.
'I understand it’s frustrating to hear, but the pure anxiety of trying everything to settle your baby on a plane and failing is awful,' wrote one commenter. 'Parents aren’t ignoring it, they’re overwhelmed.'
Another added, 'As a mum flying with a baby soon, videos like this just increase anxiety for parents who are already trying their best.' Several followers suggested Amy could have offered help instead of criticism.
Noise-cancelling headphones irony
Observant viewers also noted a particular irony in the situation. Amy Shark appeared to be wearing high-end noise-cancelling headphones in the video, leading many to question why the crying was such an issue for her.
'Oh what, your 1k headphones not cancelling the noise?' one person asked pointedly. Another echoed the sentiment, querying, 'So you’re noise cancelling headphones don’t work?' This detail became a central point in the argument that her reaction was unnecessarily harsh.
Some followers attempted to interpret the post as a failed attempt at humour. 'That didn't land the way you thought it would, hey?' one user questioned. Another expressed disappointment, stating, 'I’m trying to figure out if you did this as satire or [if] you’ve changed?'
A history of fiery clapbacks
This incident is not the first time Amy Shark has sparked controversy with her blunt online interactions. Back in July, she shocked fans by telling a social media troll she didn't care if he 'lives or dies'.
The exchange began when a man criticised her signature bun hairstyle. Amy fired back with a now-infamous response: 'I’ll have you know that I’m just relaxing at home and my hair is up, so it doesn’t go in my food. I also don’t give a f**k if you live or die… so there’s that.'
She later doubled down in a follow-up video, boasting that she had 'absolutely wiped the floor with this guy' and defiantly stating, 'Don't be an a**hole. I'm a bigger one.' This history of confrontational online behaviour has coloured the public's perception of her latest TikTok controversy.
The strong reaction to the 'baby-shaming' video highlights the intense scrutiny celebrities face on social media and the swift public judgement that follows posts perceived as lacking in empathy, particularly towards parents in challenging situations.
