The Cure frontman Robert Smith has revealed that he has been “in the studio” with Olivia Rodrigo, while also praising the pop star’s music.
Smith appeared as a special guest during Rodrigo’s headline set at Glastonbury 2025, where the pair performed The Cure’s classic tracks ‘Friday I’m In Love’ and ‘Just Like Heaven’.
She introduced the singer by calling him “perhaps the greatest songwriter to come out of England” and “a personal hero of mine”. Rodrigo has since said she has been “diving deeper into The Cure’s discography”.
Now, as fans speculate over clues pointing to Rodrigo’s return, she has appeared on the cover of British Vogue‘s latest issue. In the article, Smith spoke about becoming a fan of Rodrigo after hearing her debut hit single ‘Drivers License’.
He revealed to the outlet that he subsequently “bought ‘Sour’, and then ‘Guts’ (both on CD!)”.
“Although most of the songs on those two albums are not really ‘aimed at my demographic’, they are all so good that it is hard not to fall in love with them,” Smith wrote in the piece.
He went on to say that the two artists had remained friends since their live team-up at Glastonbury, and hinted at a potential upcoming collaboration.
“She calls me up quite a bit to talk about clothes and fashion – and we have enjoyed a couple of memorable nights in the studio together,” Smith continued. “I can’t wait to hear what she does next!”
Rodrigo has been teasing her third album with pink promos in LA and London, hinting that something could be released next month. British Vogue has described her next full-length effort as her “most experimental” yet.
She told the publication that the ‘Guts’ follow-up consists of “sad love songs”, adding: “I realised all my favourite romantic love songs were beautiful because they had a tinge of fear or yearning in them.”
Rodrigo said: “I’ve found a lot of inspiration from being in London. I’ve spent so much time here over the course of making this album. It has a lot of songs that are London vibes, about experiences that I’ve had here.
“It was a creative challenge to write from a joyful place. When you’re experiencing that you’re connected to someone, or feeling really good, you’re not in your head thinking about bittersweet poems!”
Last year, Rodrigo released her live duets with Smith as part of her ‘Live From Glastonbury 2025’ album.
Shortly after Glasto ’25, the star shared some photographs from Worthy Farm, including one of her hanging out and doing shots with Smith backstage, and going to bed wearing a Cure T-shirt. She was also captured on video while on someone’s shoulders during Pulp’s secret set.
In 2023, Rodrigo spoke about going to watch The Cure and Depeche Mode live with her dad. The Vogue interview noted that the singer’s parents were mainly into “grunge, rock and alternative” music when she was growing up, citing the likes of No Doubt, The White Stripes, ’80s metal and Riot Grrrl.
She has namechecked “some of [The Cure’s] contemporaries like New Order and Joy Division” as inspiration, too.
During a conversation with NME in 2021, Rodrigo said both her mother and father were “music heads” and had encouraged their daughter’s artistic endeavours from an early age.
“I love pop-punk music; I love grunge music; I love country music and folk music,” she explained at the time. “I think, honestly, you can see little influences of all of those genres in my [debut] album [‘Sour’].”
Last summer saw Rodrigo bring out Weezer to perform with her at Chicago’s Lollapalooza, and she invited David Byrne to join her on stage at Governors Ball in New York City.
Later, Byrne said the singer had cultivated a “great relationship” with her audience. “Not only do they know the songs,” he explained, “they mean something to them.”
Meanwhile, Rodrigo has contributed a song to the new star-studded ‘Help(2)’ charity album for War Child.
The Cure won their first-ever Grammy last month for their acclaimed 2024 album, ‘Songs Of A Lost World’. Next week, the Robert Smith-curated Teenage Cancer Trust gig series will take place at the historic Royal Albert Hall in London. Performers include the likes of Garbage, Wolf Alice, Manic Street Preachers, Chvrches and My Bloody Valentine.
