Charli XCX Brings Out Tinashe for Surprise Duet at 2026 Austin City Limits Festival
Singer Tinashe made a surprise guest appearance during Charli XCX’s headlining performance at the Austin City Limits Festival on Friday, Oct. 9. The duo took the stage together at Zilker Park to perform songs from Tinashe’s newly released studio album, Popstar.
Pop music fans attending the Austin City Limits Festival received a major surprise on Friday, Oct. 9, when headliner Charli XCX invited singer Tinashe to join her on stage during her set at Zilker Park, according to reporting by Billboard. The unexpected appearance brought enthusiastic reactions from the festival crowd as the two artists delivered an energetic live collaboration.
During the Friday set, Tinashe made the live performance debut of her song “Nobody Wanna Dance Anymore” alongside Charli XCX, Billboard reported. In addition to debuting the track live, the duo performed “Melatonin,” a dance-pop standout featured on Tinashe’s new studio album, Popstar.
Before stepping onto the Zilker Park stage together, the two musicians gave fans an advance hint about their secret reunion earlier in the day. Billboard reported that Tinashe shared a video clip on her Instagram Stories showing herself and Charli XCX dancing backstage to “Drop That Kitty,” their 2015 joint single with hip-hop artist Ty Dolla $ign.
The guest appearance at the Austin City Limits Festival represents the latest milestone in a multi-year creative partnership between the two pop performers. Following their initial 2015 track “Drop That Kitty,” Charli XCX and Tinashe re-partnered in 2024 for a remix of “B2B.” That track was featured on Charli’s project, Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat, according to Billboard.
The surprise ACL appearance coincides with a historic career moment for Tinashe. Billboard reported that her latest album, Popstar, entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 6 in early October. The entry marks Tinashe’s highest-charting album of her career and her very first appearance inside the chart’s top 10.
Taking to social media platform X after the chart achievement was revealed, Tinashe expressed deep gratitude to her fanbase, posting that she was overwhelmed by the album debuting at No. 6 and thanking her supporters for their ongoing love.
According to Billboard’s historical chart data, Tinashe’s previous highest placement on the Billboard 200 was No. 17 with her 2014 major-label debut, Aquarius. Her subsequent studio releases included Nightride, which reached No. 89, Joyride at No. 58, and her 2024 project Quantum Baby, which debuted at No. 199.
Charli XCX has featured guest artists throughout her festival run. On Oct. 2 during the festival's opening weekend, she brought out her Sweat Tour co-headliner Troye Sivan to perform his tracks “Le Boy” and “Party,” Billboard reported.
The 25th anniversary edition of the Austin City Limits Festival wraps up its schedule over the weekend. Billboard reported that Saturday’s lineup features sets from RÜFÜS DU SOL, Lorde, Lola Young, and Young Miko, followed by final festival sets on Sunday from Twenty One Pilots, The xx, Geese, and Sofi Tukker.