Justin Bieber crashes a $30 gig in LA and duets with British singer Finn Askew

Imagine paying $30 for a gig by a rising British singer, and the biggest pop star on the planet strolls on stage. That's exactly what happened in Los Angeles.

Justin Bieber popped out for a surprise cameo at Finn Askew's show, and the room lost it.

What happened? 🎤

On Thursday (Nov. 12), a couple of hundred people packed into The Moroccan Lounge in L.A. According to the venue's website, its capacity is about 250. They came for Askew, a 25-year-old singer from Wellington in the U.K.

At the end of the setlist, Bieber walked out. He joined Askew on "Music All Over Her Body," a single Askew released in September.

In footage Askew posted on Instagram, Bieber wears slim sunglasses and a snazzy button-up shirt. He trades lines with Askew, adds his signature vocal runs and grooves around the stage while a visibly disbelieving crowd watches.

Why is everyone talking about it?

Partly because of the size of the room. For Bieber, a 250-person club is tiny. One person wrote over a crowd video: "POV: Justin Bieber randomly performs at a $30 show."

There were also hints beforehand. Three days earlier, Askew posted a photo with Bieber's arm around him, captioned simply "Brother."

Askew's reaction afterwards was pure joy. On his Instagram Story he wrote: "who's gonna pinch me then?" Later he added: "I just got into bed and it's all just hit me. tears of joy."

Askew has been making music since his teens. His debut single "Roses" came out when he was 16. He started properly releasing music in 2020, and his EP Blueboy arrived this April.

Not Bieber's first surprise this year

Bieber headlined Coachella in April, his first major festival performance in years. Since then he has kept a lower profile and hasn't released new music since his Swag double album, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 (the US album chart).

But he does seem to enjoy spontaneous moments. In September he turned up for an impromptu jam session in MacArthur Park in L.A.

What's next?

Bieber's team hasn't yet given more details about the cameo. For Askew, though, the night is already one he won't forget, and a lot more people are about to hear "Music All Over Her Body."