I saw LorQueen yesterday and on my train journey there I was thinking to myself that I am about to experience my favourite ever song live, by the original artist. Then I went through a cycle in my head of who I have seen live and whether or not I have actually heard anymore of my favourite songs live (by them or on a tour where a different artist covered it etc..)

What was your experience like when you heard those songs live?

Have you heard it by the original artist of your favourite version or did someone cover it?

I've been fortunate enough to see my big four... and by the original artists.

Britney Spears - Everytime (Circus Tour 2009 | London)

This was a cute performance. Me and my friend was in nosebleeds of the O2, but it was cute seeing her sitting on a Circus ring thing singing to this.

Kelly Clarkson - Sober (All I Ever Wanted Tour 2010 | Birmingham)

Probably the song I least expected out of the four I get to mention here, so it was such a wonderful and welcome surprise when she went into this! I didn't want to know the setlist beforehand and I'm so glad I didn't read about it. Just GORGEOUS!

The Killers - Mr. Brightside (Battle Born Tour 2012 | Nottingham)

At the time, this was my absolute favourite song of all time, the song I was most hyped for. Although it was still good to lose my shit to it and witness it live... it was the opening track but it kind of irritating the arena lights were still on and I don't believe the stage was fully set up at that point lmao. I still had the best experience ever (literally front row, Had Brandon constantly reach out to us and then assisted Brandon on the barricade so he could walk along it hi-5ing everyone) but in terms of hearing my favourite song live... annoying the arena house lights were still up, but it was still fun hearing the crowd sing with all their might to it!

Loreen - Euphoria (Tour Life 2025 | Birmingham)

I'm not going to give *too* much away as I'm not sure how to "spoiler" tag anything here as this tour has only just started in the UK, but it was such an experience. Probably the best experience of the four experiences I have listed here, but maybe that's recency bias... Idk, but I doubt it. She's such an incredible performer and knows exactly how to play to the crowd. Just shivers and chills getting to hear it in some form (it was remixed but didn't take away as it fit the vibe of the rest of the setlist perfectly.

A few that stand out for me:

Falling Slowly (originally sung by Marketa Irglova and Glen Hansard)

I was at a music festival in Czechia and went to see a solo set by Marketa Irglova. Glen Hansard was not at the festival but Damien Rice was (he's the reason I went to the festival). I knew she had recorded vocals on his new album so hoped he'd make an appearance during her set. Her set started and due to the nature of her songs (very MoR) people were walking in and out frequently. Then towards the end she started speaking about how much the next song changed her career. She then introduced Damien Rice and they performed Falling Slowly together. To this date it is the only Oscar winning song I have seen performed live.

Life's For The Living (Passenger)

I've seen him live multiple times now (the last time I saw him he sang this as a duet for the 10th anniversary of 'All The Little Lights'). The performance (really the whole gig) that stuck with me was at the Roundhouse in Camden. He speaks at his gigs about what 'Let Her Go' did for his career, but this is a firm fave of Passenger fans. I had goosebumps throughout & have always loved the lyrics. So glad this was used as the opening release of the 10th anniversary album.

The Professor & La Fille Danse (Damien Rice)

I saw Damien Rice for the first time at the same festival as Marketa Irglova (see above). He came on and this was one of the first songs. I was pretty much front row. The intensity and raw emotion that came out for this song was insane. Mid-song, I became involved in helping a wheelchair user crowd-surf (we did get told off for this).

Hallelujah (Oh Wonder)

It took me a couple of albums to get into Oh Wonder. Hallelujah was one of the songs that got me into them big time. I went to see them in Nottingham and Josephine's energy was on fire. This was a standout of the gig and it got lodged in my head again after.

Selene (Ciaran Lavery)

My first ever BJSC entrant! I'd loved Ciaran for years and whilst in Belfast (on a holiday) heard that he was performing at a local venue. Got tickets and went. Sat through a few other acts before he came on and went straight into Selene. The room stood still. My other half enjoyed it and he likes a song to be an upper! (Selene is as far from that as you can get)

Killing Me (Luke Sital Singh)

This song blew up on itunes a few years back when it was used on a BBC show. I loved it when it was first released (another emotive ballad). I saw him perform this in Union Chapel, where the acoustics of the building, combined with the candlelit set up elevated this song even further. An amazing live performer.

Riversong (A Fine Frenzy)

Alison Sudol's first album is simply remarkable. Her second album was also solid. But she wasn't very known in the UK. A competition was run to meet her in London. I entered and got the chance to go. She was holding the event to promote 'Pines', her third album, which would be accompanied with a book/series of videos. Riversong was one of my faves on the album. In a room with 20 people max, she performed it live and then chatted to us all afterwards. Was a very special evening. She then became Queenie in Fantastic Beasts!

I've heard many of my favourite songs live, including some I didn't think I'd ever hear! It's always a pretty amazing experience, even for the more recent tracks I've opted to list below.

Girls Aloud - Something New (2024) - and any of their songs tbh!

S Club - Don't Stop Movin' (2015, 2023) - likewise

The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber (2021, 2022, 2024) - I first heard this in a venue of ~200 people while it was still #1 in the US, that was pretty insane

Kate Nash - Foundations (2019, 2022, 2024)

Anastacia - Left Outside Alone (2022)

Shakira - Hips Don't Lie (2018)

Britney Spears - Toxic (2018)

Harry Styles - Sign of the Times (2018, 2019, 2022, 2023) - nothing beats experiencing this at Wembley night 1 in 2022 and the heavens opening just for the duration of this track... magic

Lucie Silvas - What You're Made Of (2016, 2024)

Of the above list, I think I've only heard STAY performed by another artist (Omar Rudberg springs to mind but possibly others). I've also heard Jo and Jon from S Club sing Don't Stop Movin' at their own show away from the group.

As well as seeing artists like Delta Goodrem, Sugababes, Natalie Imbruglia, Natasha Bedingfield and other childhood favourites live, with setlists full of songs I grew up with.

If I was to attempt an all-time favourite songs list then Gorillaz - 'Feel Good Inc.' would be the highest one on there that I could tick off!

This was back in 2017 and the energy in the room was everything I hoped it would be.

for a long time my fav song was Tori Amos-Cooling and I got to hear it live a ton of times. It's a song that is not on any album but she plays it live a lot. Then my fav song was Damien Rice-I Remember, which I also heard live many many times, and in recent times all my fav songs are from Phoebe Bridgers/Boygenius, which I've also heard live (I know the end, Funeral, Me and my dog, Kyoto, Punisher),

But my all time fav song is a song by Damien Rice called Stoic, and I've also been lucky to heard it live a few times. Extremely lucky cos it's an unreleased song that he never plays cos it's very sad, about the end of a relationship where nothing works, not even the sex and then it's over. But he plays it if people requested and I did. I got an amazing video of the song here in Copenhagen:

I've been very lucky to have seen all four of my favourite songs ever live:

N-Trance - Set You Free (I saw Kelly perform it in 2021 at a festival, she was awesome, amazing voice and stage presence)

Loreen - Euphoria (I've seen her do this at several Eurovision events - always phenomenal)

Delta Goodrem - Believe Again (again, a couple of times in different settings, it's always magical)

Shakira - Hips Don't Lie (when she performed in London in I think 2018, it was fun)

I think my favourite song that works as a live performance though is Rule The World by Take That, it's just really epic and stirring in a live setting.