Olivia Rodrigo has brought out Lily Allen at her London show to duet ‘Smile’ – listen to the cover down below.
On her third night playing at London’s O2 Arena yesterday (May 17), Rodrigo announced she had a special guest for the audience, who she called “the most clever songwriter. And the coolest girl in London.
“I think the best day of my whole career was when I got to sing with her at Glastonbury,” she continued. “I absolutely adore her. Will you please give it up for Miss Lily Allen!”
To wild screams from the audience, Lily Allen stepped out on stage, where she proceeded to sing her 2006 hit ‘Smile’ – with the crowd singing along.
It’s not the first time they’ve teamed up before – as Rodrigo mentioned, she enlisted the help of Allen at Glastonbury 2022 to dedicate her song ‘Fuck You’ to the US Supreme Court (who, at the time, had just overturned Roe v Wade).
Watch Rodrigo and Allen sing ‘Smile’ below:
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In a four-star review of Rodrigo’s first London show, NME said: “It’s the songs that pick at the deepest wounds that resonate with tonight’s crowd. ‘Vampire’’s stunning build from a piano ballad to jaunty clap-back to the people who should know better is one of many howl-along moments.
“The raw regret of ‘Drivers Licence’ brought her to this venue a few years ago, but now, it’s sung with both the lived experience and confidence that comes only from someone who’s moved on to even bigger and better things; there’s no denying that Rodrigo has certainly done that and will continue to do so.
NME also reviewed her sophomore album ‘GUTS’ in a five-star review, writing: “‘Guts’ doesn’t just feel transitional in a musical sense. It marks the end of Rodrigo’s teenage years, a moment that has gravity given that she recently said in a statement that she felt like she grew “10 years” between the ages of 18 and 20.
“Here, she offers blunt self-analysis while reflecting on wider cultural ideas of performance and swallowing anger in order to comply with the wants and needs of others. It works as a display of real power, range and versatility – all of which Rodrigo possesses in abundance.”
Meanwhile, Lily Allen has recently announced she’s been “trying some stuff out” with country and western music, adding: “I do love country and western music. And also I feel like with my writing, it’s quite storytelling, sort of like narrative-led music.”
However, it seems like new music from the Londoner might have to wait, claiming there was no deadline for her to finish a new album: “I’m kind of left to my own devices and I haven’t got, like, a deadline… No one has any anticipation.”
Her last album was 2018’s ‘No Shame’, which NME gave four stars: “By the end, it’s hard to deny No Shame represents the woman who made it: it’s a smart, self-aware and compellingly imperfect record with a pretty unique point of view.”
In other news, Olivia Rodrigo has said she is “so disappointed” after her Manchester Co-Op Live shows were postponed.