How Michelle Obama Ended Up Singing on Stage with Bruce Springsteen

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Former First Lady Michelle Obama is a lawyer, podcaster, and an acclaimed author. On Friday, she gave rock star a try with the help of music legend Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band.

Video of Obama singing on stage with “The Boss” at his concert in Barcelona, Spain, quickly spread on social media over the weekend. In the clip, the 59-year-old is seen playing a tambourine and providing backup vocals for Springsteen’s famous hit “Glory Days” with Springsteen’s wife, Patti Scialfa, and actor Kate Capshaw. “Are you ready for a Barcelona house party?” Springsteen asked the audience, leading to the surprising performance.

The former first lady was also seen dancing offstage with her husband, former President Barack Obama, in a separate video.

Why Were the Obamas in Spain?

According to The Los Angeles Times, the Obamas were actually visiting Spain with Capshaw and film director Steven Spielberg, who are married.

On Thursday, Springsteen, Spielberg, and Barack Obama surprised the staff of the restaurant Amar in Barcelona by showing up for dinner together. They posed for a photo with the chefs and wait staff and sampled an array of seafood dishes, according to head chef Rafa Zafra.

According to the BBC, the Obamas and Spielberg also visited some of the Spanish capital’s most popular tourist sites like the Picasso Museum, home to a collection of works by the famous painter, and the Sagrada Família Basilica.

Then, of course, the group was in attendance as Springsteen and the E Street Band kicked off the international leg of its 2023 tour later that evening. The 73-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer played again at Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium on Sunday and is set to make stops in Dublin, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, London, Munich, and other major European cities through late July.

How Do the Obamas and Springsteen Know Each Other?

According to The Los Angeles Times, the Obamas have developed a close friendship with Springsteen since the legendary rocker endorsed Barack during his 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns and even performed at his rallies.

The former commander-in-chief awarded Springsteen the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, and the pair collaborated on the Renegades: Born in the USA podcast in 2021. Across eight episodes, the two discussed their musical influences, families, and “enduring love of America—despite all its challenges.” Renegades was also released in book form in October 2021.

“Over the years, what we’ve found is that we’ve got a shared sensibility. About work, about family, and about America,” Barack Obama wrote in the book. “In our own ways, Bruce and I have been on parallel journeys trying to understand this country that’s given us both so much.”