Photo Credit: Sam Pittman

St. Vincent made a surprise appearance onstage in New York City, joining Cate Le Bon for the first-ever live performance of their collaborative track “Always The Same.” The moment was during Le Bon’s show at Irving Plaza, turning an intimate set into a memorable debut for the song.

“Always The Same” was released earlier this year as a standalone collaboration, created out of the same creative sessions that produced Le Bon’s latest album, Michelangelo Dying. The song is built around Le Bon’s quiet, hypnotic delivery and St. Vincent’s distinctive vocal presence. The track leans into a slow groove, with minimalist instrumentation that leaves room for tension to build, giving the song an almost drifting quality. Live, the two traded lines and harmonies, letting the song unfold patiently rather than pushing it toward a big climax.

@aijemoigres Always The Same #catelebon #stvincent ♬ original sound – srg

According to Stereogum, Le Bon has previously described “Always The Same” as a piece that didn’t quite fit within the structure of Michelangelo Dying, explaining that it “needed a little more elbow room than the album would allow,” while still being “a cousin to the song cycle…coming into formation in the same breath.” That sense came through in the performance, with the song being a reflective moment within the set.