Charli XCX made a surprise appearance during The Strokes’ headlining set at Outside Lands in San Francisco, giving festivalgoers an unexpected collaboration between two major names from different corners of music.
During the set, Julian Casablancas introduced Charli as a superstar before the pair traded vocals on Take It or Leave It, the song that closes the band’s 2001 debut album, Is This It. They shared the stage through the performance, adding a pop crossover moment to The Strokes’ rock-focused set.
The appearance came one night after Charli performed her own headlining show at the festival. Her return to the stage added another notable moment to the weekend’s lineup, which featured artists across pop, rock, hip-hop and electronic music.
Casablancas also referenced the fact that Charli and The Strokes released new albums on the same date, making a lighthearted comment about the overlap during the show.
The collaboration brought together two distinct musical eras and styles in a brief but memorable festival performance.