Olivia Rodrigo Brings David Byrne To The Governors Ball

Olivia Rodrigo lit up the Governors Ball. Not just with her explosive catalog on Saturday night—she brought out a literal legend.

During her headlining set at Flushing Meadows Corona Park on June 7, Olivia Rodrigo surprised the Gov Ball crowd with an unexpected guest appearance. From the legend himself, David Byrne. The pair delivered a quirky, high-energy rendition of Talking Heads’ 1983 classic,

“Burning Down the House” is a crossover no one saw coming. Yet it somehow made perfect sense.

“I’m so honored to share the stage tonight with a special guest,” Rodrigo told the packed New York audience. “Would you give it up for the legendary David Byrne!”

The 73-year-old icon walked onto the dimly lit stage with an acoustic guitar. He had a simple white tee and red overalls. Thus, he mirrored Rodrigo’s own sparkly red two-piece ensemble. What followed was part musical homage, part performance art. The duo gave David Byrne‘s timeless track a new spark, fusing Byrne’s avant-garde energy with Rodrigo’s Gen Z fire.

After the final chorus, the two embraced center stage, with Rodrigo. Olivia beamed as she led the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer offstage. She then wrapped up her set with the fan-favorite “Deja Vu.” Also, she returned for a powerful encore that included “Brutal,” “Good 4 U,” etc.

Olivia Rodrigo and Governors Ball

Rodrigo’s Governors Ball set was a triumphant finale to a chaotic day that began with weather delays. Also, it had long entry lines, as the festival pushed its opening time to 4:30 p.m. due to rain. Despite the turbulence, Rodrigo’s 9:30 p.m. performance delivered—and then some.

Her surprise with Byrne follows a string of guest appearances during her Guts World Tour. Additionally, it included onstage moments with Tyler Childers, Noah Kahan, and Lily Allen. Rodrigo’s knack for curating unexpected pairings is quickly becoming a signature move. Last year, she joined Gwen Stefani and No Doubt at Coachella for a crowd-shaking version of “Bathwater.” She completed it with an “I ❤️ ND” tank top that sent fans spiraling.

Rodrigo’s history of cross-generational collaborations also includes a 2022 cameo at Billy Joel’s Madison Square Garden show, where she sang “Deja Vu” (a track that name-drops Joel’s “Uptown Girl”) before teaming up with the Piano Man himself for a duet on that very song.

Gov Ball 2025 wraps on Sunday with a stacked lineup, including Hozier, Clairo, Key Glock, Glass Animals, Amaarae, Raye, and more. But make no mistake: Saturday night belonged to

Olivia Rodrigo—and the icon she brought with her.

Because when Olivia Rodrigo says she’s going to burn it down, she means it.