The Kooks frontman Luke Pritchard has revealed the spontaneous story behind Rebel Wilson's surprise appearance at Reading Festival on Friday. The Australian actress joined the Brighton band on stage to perform Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise", sending social media into overdrive with viral videos of the unexpected collaboration.
The 40-year-old musician admitted the entire performance was thrown together with remarkable speed. They had just 12 hours to plan the collaboration and barely rehearsed for more than an hour in their dressing room before taking the stage.
Film project origins
The unlikely pairing began when Wilson reached out to The Kooks for her upcoming film project. "She wanted to get some cutaways for her film and then I was like, why don't we do a song because I know she's great singer, obviously a performer," Pritchard told PA news agency.
According to The Mirror, Wilson performed as her character "Tazzie Young" for the film scene being shot during the festival. The collaboration worked seamlessly despite minimal preparation, with Pritchard praising the 45-year-old actress's natural talent.
Emotional homecoming
The performance marked The Kooks' return to Reading Festival after a seven-year absence. Pritchard described feeling emotional about the homecoming, particularly seeing young fans in the front rows bringing energy and enthusiasm to their set.
"It went bloody well. It was really good. I feel a little emotional about it really. It felt like a bit of homecoming," he said. The band, completed by Hugh Harris on guitar and Alexis Nunez on drums, last played the festival in 2018.
Cultural connection
The collaboration proved particularly fitting given The Kooks' popularity in Australia, as noted by The Independent. Wilson's extensive musical background, including her experience in a rap duo with her sister and West End theatre performances, made her a natural fit for the spontaneous duet.
The band is now preparing for their biggest UK arena tour in October, spanning London, Manchester, Cardiff, Brighton, Newcastle and Birmingham. After 20 years together, Pritchard feels they're finally ready for arena-sized performances, having recently released their seventh studio album "Never/Know" which reached number five in the UK charts.
Sources used: "Daily Mail", "Mirror", "Independent", "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
