Billy Joel found a new “Uptown Girl” — one who was born long after that classic 1983 single became one of his biggest hits — at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.That would be Olivia Rodrigo — the 19-year-old pop sensation — who famously name-checked the Piano Man in her 2021 hit “Deja Vu”: “And I bet that she knows Billy Joel/‘’Cause you played her ‘Uptown Girl’/You’re singing it together.”And, fittingly, Rodrigo joined Joel to sing both “Deja Vu” and “Uptown Girl” for some in the audience who were old enough to be her grandparents.
But there were surprisingly more people in the crowd who knew the words to sing along to “Deja Vu” than you might have expected.
Meanwhile, Joel smiled and nodded approvingly from his piano bench.As bittersweet of a breakup song as “Deja Vu” may be, it was all love between Rodrigo and Joel, as the giddy young star made a surprise appearance during the latest of the New York legend’s concerts in his monthly residency at MSG.“I love her music — and so do my kids,” said Joel from his revolving piano as he introduced the three-time Grammy winner.
And after letting Rodrigo have all of the spotlight on “Deja Vu,” Joel got up from his piano and joined her for an “Uptown Girl” duet that was fizzy fun.
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