In a thrilling surprise at the Outside Lands festival in San Francisco, Charli XCX joined The Strokes on stage to perform “Take It or Leave It” during their Saturday headlining set. This unexpected collaboration comes shortly after both artists released their albums—The Strokes’ Reality Awaits and Charli’s Music, Fashion, Film—on the same day in July, sparking a friendly competition over album sales.
Unexpected Guests and Playful Rivalry
Before introducing Charli to the audience, The Strokes’ frontman Julian Casablancas playfully acknowledged the friendly rivalry between the two artists. “We got a special little guest. A big guest. A superstar,” he exclaimed. He warmly congratulated Charli, joking, “You’re the new queen of everything, Charli XCX,” before sharing that she had decisively won the album sales battle. “Yep, she won. She won by a lot,” he added with a smile.
Shared Experiences
The Strokes and Charli XCX have a history of collaboration; Casablancas previously lent his vocals to her reworking of “Mean Girls” for her remix album, Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat. Following their surprise performance, Casablancas acknowledged the excitement and camaraderie between the two, highlighting the unique blend of their musical talents.
Upcoming Performances
As the festival wraps up, Charli XCX is set to headline the U.K.’s Reading and Leeds festivals, while The Strokes will embark on a trip to Japan for the Summer Sonic festivals in Tokyo and Osaka next weekend.
With both artists making waves in the music scene, this memorable appearance will surely remain a highlight for attendees at Outside Lands.
