Charli XCX Brought Out Tinashe at ACL Weekend 2 — and the Surprise Set Instantly Broke the Internet

Answer in one line: Charli XCX surprised fans during her headlining set at the Austin City Limits Festival on Friday, October 9, by bringing out Tinashe, who gave the first-ever live performance of her fan-favorite song "Nobody Wanna Dance Anymore" plus the hit single "Melatonin" — both from her new album Popstar.

Charli XCX has turned surprise guests into a headliner tradition — and her second weekend at ACL was no exception. On Friday night at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas, the pop star was deep into her closing set on the American Express stage when she welcomed Tinashe onstage to perform two songs from Tinashe's new album Popstar. Fan footage hit social media within minutes, and clips of the duet were trending before the set even ended.

What Happened at ACL Weekend 2

The surprise wasn't entirely unspoiled. Earlier that day, Tinashe posted a video to her Instagram Stories of herself and Charli dancing backstage to their 2015 collaboration with Ty Dolla $ign, "Drop That Kitty" — a playful breadcrumb that sent fans into speculation mode. When Tinashe finally walked out, Charli urged the massive crowd to give her fellow pop star a hero's welcome, telling them to uplift her.

Together they performed "Nobody Wanna Dance Anymore" — its live debut, and a track Popstar fans had been begging to hear on a stage — followed by "Melatonin," the dance-pop standout single from the album. It was the second surprise-guest moment of Charli's ACL run: during Weekend One on October 2, she brought out her Sweat Tour co-headliner Troye Sivan, who performed "Le Boy" and "Party" ahead of his new album She's the Best.

Why This Moment Is Blowing Up

Both artists are at genuine career peaks. Charli is riding the continued high of her Brat era into Music, Fashion, Film, her eighth studio album, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with 78,000 equivalent album units — the biggest opening week of her career by units — and topped the UK Albums Chart.

Tinashe is having her biggest moment ever, entirely on her own terms. Popstar, released September 25, debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 with 35,500 equivalent album units — her first-ever top-10 album and her strongest opening week. Her previous major-label debut Aquarius peaked at No. 17, while later releases like Nightride (No. 89), Joyride (No. 58), and 2024's Quantum Baby (No. 199) never cracked the upper chart. "I'm so unbelievably grateful, this is CRAZY! #6 BILLBOARD DEBUT," she wrote on X when the milestone landed.

The history runs a decade deep. The two first linked up on Ty Dolla $ign's "Drop That Kitty" in 2015 as rising stars, then reunited in 2024 for the "B2B" remix on Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat. Seeing two artists who've grown up in parallel publicly lift each other up — at festivals, in real time — is exactly the kind of pop-culture payoff fans live for.

Key Facts

• When: Friday, October 9, 2026, during Charli XCX's headlining set at ACL Festival Weekend 2, Zilker Park, Austin, Texas.
• What: Tinashe joined Charli on the American Express stage for two songs from Popstar.
• Songs performed: "Nobody Wanna Dance Anymore" (live debut) and "Melatonin."
• How it was teased: Tinashe's Instagram Stories backstage video set to "Drop That Kitty."
• Career context: Popstar is Tinashe's eighth studio album and her first Billboard 200 top-10; it has drawn the best reviews of her dozen-year career. Tinashe was recently announced for Chappell Roan's Super Graphic Spectacular, a two-day charity fundraiser in Los Angeles.
• Sources: Stereogum, Daypop/KJWL, InMusicBlog, Europesays.

What's Next

The 25th-anniversary edition of ACL wraps this weekend: Saturday's headliners include RÜFÜS DU SOL, Lorde, Lola Young, and Young Miko, with closing sets from Twenty One Pilots, The xx, Geese, and Sofi Tukker on Sunday. For Charli, the moment cements her Music, Fashion, Film tour era as a hit factory for viral festival moments. For Tinashe, the co-sign from one of pop's biggest stages lands right as Popstar cements her independent-era breakthrough — expect the "Nobody Wanna Dance Anymore" live footage to rack up millions of views by morning, and don't be surprised if a joint project follows.

FAQ

Who did Charli XCX bring out at ACL?
Tinashe, during Charli's headlining set on Friday, October 9, 2026 at the Austin City Limits Festival's second weekend in Austin, Texas.

What songs did Charli XCX and Tinashe perform together?
"Nobody Wanna Dance Anymore" — its first-ever live performance — and "Melatonin," both from Tinashe's new album Popstar.

Why are fans so excited about this surprise set?
Both artists are at career peaks — Charli off her biggest album debut and Tinashe off her first Billboard 200 top-10 — and the two share a decade of history dating back to 2015's "Drop That Kitty."

Has Tinashe performed "Nobody Wanna Dance Anymore" live before?
No — the ACL set with Charli XCX was the live debut of the fan-favorite Popstar track.

Did Charli XCX bring out other surprise guests at ACL 2026?
Yes — during Weekend One (October 2) she brought out Troye Sivan, who performed "Le Boy" and "Party."