At Travis Scott’s Circus Maximus show in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 18, fans were treated to a massive surprise when The Weeknd, who also happened to be in the country, joined him on stage for four of their collaborative tracks.
Scott had teased the surprise during his first Sydney show on Oct. 17, telling the crowd, “I’m gonna see my friend tomorrow morning and see if he can get on the stage. I was trying to get him today.”
He then performed “CIRCUS MAXIMUS,” a track featuring The Weeknd, fueling the excitement for night two.
Both artists also dropped cryptic videos from Sydney’s iconic Luna Park before the performance. The park’s enormous, illuminated face at its entrance bears an uncanny resemblance to the imagery from Scott’s ASTROWORLD—a carnival vibe that’s been a major part of his branding. Fans quickly caught on, adding to the buzz that something big was brewing.
True to his word, The Weeknd made his appearance on stage the following night (Oct. 18), performing alongside the rapper for an assortment of their numerous collaborations together, including, “CIRCUS MAXIMUS,” “Pray 4 Love,” “SKELETONS,” and “WAKE UP.”
The pair’s long-standing collaboration and chemistry were evident as they lit up the stage, much to the crowd’s delight. Scott introduced The Weeknd to the audience as “the greatest of all time.”
“This man right here gave me my first arena tour ever,” Scott told the audience of the Weeknd. “If it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t be on this stage right now.”
Scott’s Circus Maximus Australian and New Zealand tour continues through Oct. 31, with a final show in Auckland, New Zealand. After wrapping up his tour Down Under, Scott and his Cactus Jack crew are set to take over Complexcon in Las Vegas on Nov. 17.
The rapper’s Circus Maximus tour continues to break records, following the global success of Utopia, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard 200 chart, earning 496,000 album-equivalent units (including 252,000 in pure album sales) in its first week.
Meanwhile, The Weeknd is in Australia for his After Hours Til Dawn tour, with upcoming shows at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Oct. 22 and 23. This marks his first return to Australia since 2017, with fans eagerly awaiting his next album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, which has already teased singles like “Dancing in the Flames” and “Timeless.”
“I feel a strong pull to perform in Australia before moving on to the next chapter and want to make sure you all know I hadn’t forgotten about you,” The Weeknd said in a statement announcing his new Australian tour dates back in August. “When I return now, it will be the right time, and I promise it will be such a special experience. I can’t wait to see you all!”
Mike Dean, Chxrry22 and Sydney’s own Anna Lunoe are currently supporting The Weeknd on the four Australia dates.
Check out The Weeknd’s surprise performance with Travis Scott below.