Florence Welch has returned to the stage for the first time since undergoing emergency surgery last month, and performed two duets with Ethel Cain.
Taking place at the MEO Kalorama festival in Lisbon, Portugal, the performance marked the first headlining set by Florence + The Machine since the band were forced to cancel several live shows in August.
At the time, Welch declared that although she doesn’t “really feel strong enough” to share details on her ordeal with fans just yet, the emergency surgery last month “saved her life”.
“I’m so sorry that I had to cancel the last couple of shows,” she wrote, explaining that it was unrelated to a broken foot that caused the postponement of a UK tour at the start of the year.
Now, it seems that the singer is on the road to recovery, as she not only made her return to the stage for her headline slot but also surprised fans by joining Ethel Cain on stage.
Before the headline set with her band, Welch made a surprise appearance during Cain’s afternoon set, joining her for a duet of ‘Thoroughfare’ from the latter’s debut album ‘Preacher’s Daughter’, which arrived last year.
Cain then went on to return the favour during the headline set later that day, and joined Welch and co. for a powerful joint performance of ‘Morning Elvis’ – the closing track from Florence + The Machine’s 2022 record ‘Dance Fever’.
‘Morning Elvis’ was first performed by the two last year, when they both joined forces in Denver. The recording was later released as a promotional single. Find footage of the performances below.
Last week’s live appearances, along with a headline set at Cala Mijas in Malaga, marked the final of the scheduled shows Florence + The Machine had set for 2023, and came after Welch announced that “on medical advice”, she would no longer be playing at Zurich Open Air Festival and Rock en Seine.
Ethel Cain, however, is set to continue her run of live shows by embarking on a solo US tour, which will run through next month.
This will start with a show in South Burlington, Vermont on October 3, and wrap up with a set in San Francisco on October 24. Find all tour dates and remaining tickets here.
In other Florence + The Machine news, earlier this year Welch shared the emotional reaction she had to seeing one of her songs featuring at the end of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3.
The moment occurred as her classic ‘Dog Days Are Over’ appeared in the film’s emotional conclusion, and left her in tears.
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