What was meant to be a fun, viral moment turned into a serious injury for Russian influencer Mariana Vasiuc, who broke her spine just weeks after giving birth—while attempting the latest TikTok craze: the Nicki Minaj Stiletto Challenge.
In the since-deleted clip, Vasiuc, known for her motherhood and lifestyle content, is seen perched dangerously on a stack of a baby formula container and a saucepan, all while wearing a pair of stilettos. Inspired by a pose from Nicki Minaj’s 2013 “High School” music video, the challenge has taken over TikTok, encouraging users to recreate Minaj’s signature high-heel balancing act in the most creative (and precarious) ways possible.
📉 Things went south quickly.
As Vasiuc tried to maintain her balance on the edge of a kitchen counter, the saucepan beneath her slipped, sending her crashing backward in a frightening fall, caught on camera. Despite having someone hold her hand off-camera for support, the influencer let go—and seconds later, disaster struck.
💬 In a follow-up post, Vasiuc revealed she sustained a compression flexion spinal fracture from the fall.
“Irony? Karma? Or just life, which always tests our strength at the most unexpected moment 🤣,” she wrote, attempting to keep the tone light despite the severity of the accident.
The Challenge That’s Testing More Than Just Balance
The Nicki Minaj Stiletto Challenge—which has racked up tens of millions of views on TikTok—features participants trying to replicate Minaj’s sultry high-heel pose beside a pool. But instead of simply wearing heels, users are upping the ante by standing on unstable household objects like Spam cans, nail polish bottles, or even children’s toy sets.
One viral entry that helped ignite the trend showed a woman at a nail salon balancing in glittering stilettos on top of two tiny polish bottles—earning more than 61 million views.
Others are trying to “out-crazy” each other with stunts like walking a plank in heels, teetering on mini race car tracks, or even surfing in pumps.
“I Woke Up a Popular Person”
Following her accident, Vasiuc posted another update on Instagram, writing:
“More than 50 people sent me my reel from different publications today. I’m doing great, following the guidelines, and now living in ‘star’ status 👌🏽.”
While her attitude remains upbeat, her experience serves as a serious reminder about the dangers of viral challenges—especially for new moms or anyone still recovering from childbirth.
The Bottom Line
The Nicki Minaj Stiletto Challenge might look glamorous and daring online, but as Mariana Vasiuc’s experience shows, it’s not worth risking serious injury.
Walking in Nicki’s heels? Maybe try the look without the stunt. Some shoes are better left unworn—especially on top of saucepans.
Mariana Vasiuc.Credit :
Photo redit: Mariana Barutkina/Instagram
