Harry Styles Performs ‘Songbird’ in Tribute to Christine McVie

As tributes continue to roll in for late Fleetwood Mac singer Christine McVie, who died on Wednesday morning at the age of 79 following a short illness, Harry Styles paid his respects through song during his Chile show on Thursday night.

The 28-year-old singer performed “Songbird,” the tender piano ballad off the band’s 1977 album “Rumours” and one of a handful of cuts from the record in which McVie assumes solo vocal duties. At the end of his cover, Styles remarked, “Thank you, Christine,” and blew a kiss to the sky.

More from Variety

• Lindsey Buckingham Posts Heartfelt Tribute to Christine McVie, His Longtime Fleetwood Mac Bandmate

• Harry Styles' 'House' Had Some Roommates: Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson on Making 2022's Most Ubiquitous Single, 'As It Was'

• Harry Styles, Haim, Bette Midler, the Eagles and More Remember Fleetwood Mac Songstress Christine McVie: 'RIP Songbird'

Styles has been public about his admiration for the band, and has cited them as inspiration in the past for his solo efforts such as his 2017 self-titled album. That same year, Styles and his band covered Fleetwood’s “The Chain” for the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, which went viral on the Internet and today sits with 32 million views on the platform. He has also performed with Fleetwood Mac lead singer Stevie Nicks on multiple occasions, playings songs such as “Landslide” and “Stop Draggin’ My Heart.” He also inducted Nicks into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2019, so Styles’ fondness for the band and its two leading ladies has been well-documented. On Wednesday, Styles shared a black-and-white photo of McVie to his Instagram stories, paying tribute to the late singer.

McVie has been closely associated to “Songbird” for much of her music career, particularly due to its moving lyrics and her tender vocal performance. She famously called the experience of writing the song “spiritual,” having woken up in the middle of the night and playing it front to back on her piano with no prior writing or conceptualization involved. McVie recorded the song in the studio the next day.

The “Harry’s House” singer recently completed a brief residency at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, though three postponed dates will commence toward the end of January. Currently, Styles is playing a short run of shows in South America, with Argentina and Brazil dates slated in the coming weeks.

Check out clips of Styles’ “Songbird” cover below.

Best of Variety

• What's Coming to Netflix in December 2022

• What's Coming to Disney+ in December 2022

• Matthew Perry Gets Real About His Addiction Journey In Vulnerable New Memoir 'Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing'

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.