The Rolling Stones’ rock ballad “Wild Horses” has been a fan favorite for decades. When the music legends performed their hit at London Stadium in 2018, with extra special guest Florence Welch of indie rock band Florence + The Machine, their duet made the hit sound brand new, wowing fans across the globe.
This viral performance has been making ceaseless waves on YouTube, amassing over 2.4 million views to date. Music Man readers can watch this incredible duet in the clip below!
Mick Jagger kicks off this performance, singing alone while backed by bandmates Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and Charlie Watts. His voice is just like the band’s original 1971 single, pitch-perfect and shaped with Jagger’s iconic, unmistakable tones.
But when Florence Welch joins for the second verse, her show-stopping vocals instantly steal the spotlight and put even Jagger to shame. Radiant melodies from a powerhouse vocalist are always incredible to hear. Yet Florence takes this performance to a whole new level when she unleashes her stellar vibratos through the verse and harmonizes with Jagger on his classic lyrics.
These British stars clearly share some chemistry despite being generations apart: Mick being 75 years of age in this clip and Florence 31. It’s hit songs like this that tie the ages together, transcending the years and sounding timeless as ever. And fans can’t get over the impact of this duet.
As one viewer mentioned, “If anyone could sing this well at 75 and perform for hours, you have to be remarkable,” another backed them up when they commented, “World’s most hauntingly beautiful ballad, exquisitely performed 50 years after they created it.”
Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood also share a moment on stage together – don’t miss their guitar solo, it’s a total flashback for any old-school Stones fans out there.
For some viewers, this clip is bringing back their love for drummer Charlie Watts, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 80, a short three years after this performance, with fans sharing their condolences in the YouTube comments.
But it’s Florence Welch who has been wowing Stones fans more than anyone else, with some viewers even being moved to tears by her stellar addition to this nostalgic hit. One viewer called her “a treasure,” writing: “One of the very few human beings that can go on stage with Jagger and not be outshined.”
Another top commenter joked about Florence’s superb match to this song when they wrote, “This song is originally planned to have Florence Welch for a duet but she wasn’t born yet at that time.”
