Olivia Rodrigo offers a duet with Robert Smith of The Cure, her idol, on her new album

Olivia Rodrigo created the event during a surprise appearance at the Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona by unveiling a new duet with Robert Smith, singer of The Cure. Long fueled by rumors evoking a tribute to the British group on its next album, the collaboration turned out to be much more than a simple nod: the leader of the great New Wave group appears directly on What’s Wrong With Mea title which will appear on the third album of the American singer.

The revelation came Saturday night when Rodrigo invited Robert Smith to join her on stage in the middle of the song’s first public performance. The arrival of the British musician immediately aroused the enthusiasm of the audience at the Catalan festival. Visibly moved, the singer presented the song as an important step in her career.

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“I can’t believe this song exists with the person who inspired it. I am in heaven”she declared to the crowd. “It’s really special to me for many reasons, mainly because it’s my first song as a duet. »

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At the end of the performance, after hugging Robert Smith on stage, the singer Vampire let his emotion burst forth. “I can’t believe this is something that happened in the real world and not just a figment of my imagination.”she confided.

Robert Smith, fan of the new generation

However, this performance was not the first collaboration between the two artists. The previous summer, during the Glastonbury festival, Olivia Rodrigo had already invited Robert Smith to share the stage with her. Together, they performed two of The Cure’s greatest classics, Friday I’m in Love (1992) et Just Like Heaven (1987). Before their performance, the singer paid a vibrant tribute to the British musician: “He’s possibly the best songwriter in England, he’s one of my personal heroes”.

If Olivia Rodrigo has never hidden her admiration for The Cure, it seems to be mutual. Last March, Robert Smith revealed that he had become a fan of the singer after discovering her first big success, Drivers License. The musician explained that he had bought his two albums, Sour et Gutsseduced by his writing and his universe.

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The British singer also spoke of their regular exchanges and their joint work sessions. “She calls me quite often to talk about clothes and fashion, and we’ve spent some memorable evenings in the studio together”he said.

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These secret sessions ultimately resulted in What’s Wrong With Mewhich constitutes Robert Smith’s first official appearance on an Olivia Rodrigo song.

Rock as a common thread

This collaboration appears to be a logical continuation in the artistic journey of the American singer. Olivia Rodrigo has long claimed the influence of alternative rock on her music. She explained that she grew up in an environment marked by grunge, alternative rock and metal of the 1980s and 1990s. Among her references are New Order and Joy Division.

His admiration for The Cure had already manifested itself in his repertoire. She quotes the band in the lyrics of the single Drop Dead and even gave one of his pieces the title The Cure.

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More recently, the artist had also claimed the heritage of the feminist punk movement of the 1990s through some of her aesthetic positions, notably after the reactions aroused by her outfit « babydoll ».

A highly anticipated album

On Instagram, Olivia Rodrigo announced that What’s Wrong With Me will be released on June 12, along with the rest of his new album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Loveexpected next Friday. The singer took advantage of this announcement to once again pay tribute to her collaborator: “I still can’t believe that Robert, who I think is one of the most brilliant, legendary, wonderful people who ever lived, is on this record with me. »

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This surprise appearance also comes as The Cure is preparing to hit the road again for a European tour which will notably include the Rock Werchter festival, in Belgium, on July 5.