During Olivia Rodrigo’s performance on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury 2025, The Cure’s Robert Smith surprised the audience by appearing as a secret guest. It was a remarkable moment that only Worthy Farm could provide. The 22-year-old singer introduced Smith, calling him “perhaps the best songwriter to come out of England, a Glastonbury legend and a personal hero of mine.” This introduction came nearly midway through her set. Together, they performed “Friday I’m in Love” and “Just Like Heaven.”
It was a strange combination — a goth‑rock elder statesman and a Gen‑Z pop star — yet oddly natural. Rodrigo, whose music is infused with alt-rock elements, comes from the opposite end of the spectrum to Smith. But for this moment, they met in the Cure’s own crossover pop hits, fusing Rodrigo’s contemporary bite with Smith’s timeless jangle.
Rodrigo has been open about her alt‑rock roots. In a 2023 NME interview, she confessed she saw The Cure and Depeche Mode with her dad—early formative shows that shaped her musical DNA
Their brief musical union also underscored shared values beyond the stage. Rodrigo’s Fund 4 Good advocates reproductive rights and youth education, while Smith has long supported benefit concerts and activism.
Rodrigo’s headline set was already electric—“drivers license,” “good 4 u,” and a fireworks‑finisher of “Get Him Back.” But the secret‑guest reveal of Robert Smith, her heartfelt praise, and those two Cure classics transformed the night.
Watch below:
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Robert Smith and Olivia Rodrigo singing “Friday I’m in love” pic.twitter.com/4xrtstVnNb
— Amberly | SAW CONLIVIA@GOVBALLNYC (@Iamlivielivid) June 29, 2025
#OliviaRodrigo bring out Robert Smith of #thecure to sing #justlikeheaven at Glastonbury #GlastonburyFestival #Glastonbury2025 pic.twitter.com/olBEhLhzJt
— ThatRobRose (@thatrobrose) June 29, 2025
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