Billy Joel invites Olivia Rodrigo on stage to perform Deja Vu and Uptown Girl
Scenes from Madison Square Garden
A show of cross-generational mutual respect took place at New York’s Madison Square Garden last night (24 August), as Billy Joel invited Olivia Rodrigo on stage to perform her 2021 single Deja Vu and his 1983 hit Uptown Girl.
There’s a relationship between the two songs, of course - the second verse of Deja Vu features the lines “I'll bet that she knows Billy Joel, ‘cos you played her Uptown Girl”, as Rodrigo muses on how the shared experiences she enjoyed with an ex are now being re-lived by him with someone else.
This explains why, prior to performing Deja Vu, Rodrigo turned to Joel at the piano and said “I couldn’t have written this next song without you, so thank you”.
Inevitably - and at Rodrigo’s request - the pair immediately followed up by duetting on Uptown Girl.
If you’re a Joel fan (or even if you’re not, to be honest) it’s also worth noting that the Bob Moog Foundation is currently raffling off a vintage Minimoog Model D that bears his signature. It belonged to David Rosenthal, Joel’s musical director.
Tickets for the raffle are $25 each, or five for $100, 12 for $200, or 35 for $500. They can be purchased from the Bob Moog Foundation website until 31 August, or when 5,000 have been sold.
Get the MusicRadar Newsletter
Want all the hottest music and gear news, reviews, deals, features and more, direct to your inbox? Sign up here.
I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.

“There is no one who can do this process with me as well as he can”: Alex Van Halen says he is working with Steve Lukather to complete a new Van Halen album

“Playing the parts of one of my favorite guitarists ever is no easy task, but it was a joy”: YouTuber Ben Eller thanks fans and his Mastodon bandmates after stepping in to replace the departed Brent Hinds at the last minute