Leeds got something most cities won't: the first ever live performance of End Of You, and by any measure, that's worth talking about.

On Tuesday, 8 September, Evanescence opened their European tour at First Direct Arena in Leeds. Poppy is on the bill as a support act, alongside US singer K.Flay, and that proximity made something possible that fans of the 2025 single have been waiting for since its release. Amy Lee and Poppy walked out together and played End Of You live for the first time, nearly a year on from when the track dropped.

What actually happened on stage

The performance came as part of a 22-song setlist that pulled from Evanescence's new album Sanctuary as well as the catalogue hits you'd expect, Bring Me To Life, My Immortal, Going Under. K.Flay also got her moment, joining Lee onstage for Fight Like A Girl, their collaborative track that featured on the soundtrack to the 2025 action film Ballerina before landing on the Sanctuary tracklisting. It was that kind of night: a headline set with room for its guests.

End Of You is a three-way collaboration. Spiritbox frontwoman Courtney LaPlante is the third name on the single, though she wasn't in Leeds on Tuesday. That absence didn't stop the debut happening. The song was produced by Jordan Fish, formerly of Bring Me The Horizon, and released on 4 September 2025 via Sumerian Records.

The origin of the track is worth knowing. The idea came during the making of Poppy's 2024 album Negative Spaces, out of a conversation between Poppy and Fish. Poppy told NME she knew Fish was friends with Lee and thought she'd be someone worth bringing in. From there, the concept took shape. "It was mine and Jordan's idea to start with," Poppy said, "and then we thought, what if we made our version of a dark Moulin Rouge, like Lady Marmalade?" That's a reference to Baz Luhrmann's 2001 jukebox musical, for those keeping track.

Lee framed the song's theme in direct terms. "In order to make way for the new, we have to let some old ways die," she said. "It's about challenging the norms and showing how strong we are when unified as women." She described the lyrics as being about taking on the patriarchy. That's not a vague artistic statement. It's a clear one.

Where this goes next

Whether the live performance of End Of You becomes a regular fixture on this tour is the obvious question. [The summer festival circuit has already thrown up memorable live moments this year](/uprise/music/ive-never-done-hallucinogenic-drugs-but-now-it-feels-like-i-have), and this lands as one of the more interesting crossover bookings in heavy music right now.

As for a follow-up from all three artists, nothing is confirmed. When the single came out, Lee said more music wasn't in the pipeline but she was open to future collaboration with Poppy and LaPlante, even floated appearing on a game show with them. "We'll see what fun shenanigans could come out of this collab!" isn't a firm yes, but it isn't a door being shut either.

Evanescence's tour moves to Co-op Live in Manchester on 10 September. Sanctuary, the album behind this run, came out in June to strong reviews.

Leeds was first. That matters more than people are giving it credit for.