Olivia Dean surprised the Lollapalooza crowd by bringing out Sam Fender for ‘Rein Me In’ – check out footage of their performance below.
- READ MORE: Olivia Dean live in Glasgow: a new popstar’s victory lap
Dean headlined the third night of Lollapalooza at the T-Mobile stage on Saturday (August 1), drawing a large crowd who she often paused to address throughout the set, reflecting on the impact of her latest album, ‘The Art of Loving’.
“This album has just completely changed my life, and it’s been so healing, and I’m so proud. It’s been crazy,” Dean said. “The whole point of this album is about me trying to figure out what life really means to me.”
Before introducing Fender, Dean also told the Chicago crowd about the recent success of ‘Rein Me In’, which just days before, had broken the record for the longest-running UK Number One single of all time.
“We’re going to do something special, because we’re also celebrating today, because back home in the UK, I’m very proud to be part of a song that’s just broken the Guinness World Record, and the longest running number one in UK history, and I’m so proud to be a part of it. It only felt right that we play it for the first time ever in America, with the man himself, Mr Sam Fender!”
Sam Fender & Olivia Dean perform “Rein Me In” at Lollapalooza, marking the first time the song has been played live in the US. pic.twitter.com/uM2RcH35ag
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) August 2, 2026
Olivia Dean played:
‘The Art of Loving’
‘Nice to Each Other’
‘Lady Lady’
‘So Easy (To Fall in Love)’
‘Close Up’
‘Let Alone the One You Love’
‘Messy’
‘Carmen’
‘Echo’
‘Time’
‘A Couple Minutes’
‘The Hardest Part’
‘Baby Steps’
‘Ladies Room’
‘Move On Up’ (Curtis Mayfield cover)
‘OK Love You Bye’
‘It Isn’t Perfect But It Might Be’
‘Dive’
‘Rein Me In’ (with Sam Fender)
‘Man I Need’
Their performance marks the first time the song has ever been played live in America, and follows weeks of chart dominance, having now spent 19 weeks at the top of the UK Official Singles Chart.
With the record-breaking accomplishment, the song overtakes Frankie Laine’s ‘I Believe’ for the title, which spent 18 weeks at the top spot on the charts across three separate runs in 1953. The record stood for 73 years.
Released over a year ago, ‘Rein Me In’ took 35 weeks to reach Number One after it first made its way onto the UK charts, only hitting the peak position in February 2026, becoming Fender’s first chart-topping single.
The two artists officially released the collaborative version of the ‘People Watching’ track last summer, after they performed it live together at Fender’s shows in London and Newcastle.
In May, the pair celebrated nine non-consecutive weeks at the top spot on the UK singles chart by delivering a joint rendition during Dean’s headline concert at London’s O2. While it is Fender’s first Number One, it is Dean’s second following ‘Man I Need’.
Earlier this year, the team-up bagged them the Song Of The Year award at the BRITs 2026, too.
Amid the success of the single, Fender was the recipient of the Songwriter Of The Year award at the Ivor Novellos. Elton John presented the artist with the prize, describing him as “one of the greatest lyricists Britain has ever produced”.
For Dean, the singer won the Best New Artist statue at the BET Awards last month. She cleared up at this year’s BRITs in February too, with her wins including Album Of The Year for ‘The Art Of Loving’.
