So, Olivia Randomly Hit Up A Local Bar And Sang An Iconic '90s Anthem
Thankfully someone filmed this, because it's everything.
Olivia Rodrigo is taking over the world, and nothing’s sounded better. The singer-songwriter is about to wrap up her first headlining tour for her Grammy Award-winning debut album Sour. The final stop is in London on July 6 and 7, but before stepping onto a massive stage, Rodrigo was spotted at a dive bar in Manchester. The singer popped into Bunny Jackson's Juke Joint to give an impromptu performance, and this video of Olivia Rodrigo singing Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn" is great.
On Sunday, July 3, a Twitter user posted the video of Rodrigo singing the ‘90s anthem online, sharing that she just turned up to “play a song for a laugh.” Of course, anyone who’s ever scream-sung “Torn” in their bedroom knows this iconic song is no laughing matter. It ranks among some of the best breakup songs of all time, and Rodrigo is the current reigning queen of breakup songs with kiss-off singles like “traitor” and “good 4 u.”
Singing throwback breakup songs is nothing new for Rodrigo. On her Sour tour, Rodrigo has had some very special guests along the way to help her sing some throwback anthems. In Toronto, Rodrigo brought Avril Lavigne out on stage to sing “Complicated.” Lavigne’s pop-punk song from 2002 was already a part of the Sour tour setlist, but fans were shocked when Rodrigo revealed that the singer, who “opened so many doors” for her, was actually there to sing the song with her as well.
Most recently, Rodrigo had Lily Allen join her on stage for a performance of Allen’s “F*ck You” a the the Glastonbury Festival. The singer used the moment to dedicate the song to the five Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 24, saying, “This song goes out to the justices: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, and Brett Kavanaugh. We hate you.” Even at her show in Los Angeles, Rodrigo brought out Alanis Morissette to sing “You Oughta Know” before the sold out Greek Theater.
It seems Rodrigo is using every opportunity she can to bring the nostalgia back, and this “Torn” performance in Manchester is no different, even if it was totally unexpected. One fan shared how “random” it was to see “the biggest pop star of the year, singing a ‘90s song at a bar in Manchester.”
With Rodrigo’s Sour tour ending soon, it’s possible she has a few more nostalgia-filled surprises left for her final shows in London. If things go in the same direction, she may invite a few more surprise guests to join her on stage for even more throwback ‘90s and early 2000s breakup songs. Some fans have even offered a few suggestions of their own, including another queen of breakup songs — Taylor Swift.
Whatever she has planned, there’s no denying that Rodrigo has inspired some major nostalgia fever with her renditions of “Complicated,” “F*ck You,” and now, “Torn.” So much so, that it may be time for you to revisit some of your favorite breakup playlists for one more scream-sing in your bedroom.
