Eddie Vedder made Pearl Jam’s headlining set at the Ohana Festival in Dana Point, California, a family affair by bringing his 16-year-old daughter, Harper Vedder, on stage for a very special performance. The father-daughter duo shared a heartwarming mash-up that brought the crowd to its feet, blending Pearl Jam’s signature cover of Wayne Cochran’s “Last Kiss” with Taylor Swift’s “The Best Day” from her Fearless album.
During Sunday night’s set, Vedder expressed his pride, saying, “We’ve had so much diversity on both these stages in the last few days,” before introducing Harper. “It’s been a while since we had a powerful young woman up on stage with us, so my pal Harper here is gonna help me out,” Vedder added with a smile, giving his daughter an encouraging nod.
As Vedder strummed the opening chords of “Last Kiss,” Harper joined in tentatively, her confidence building as she began to sing lines from Swift’s “The Best Day.” Her youthful voice echoed the touching lyrics about childhood memories, singing, “I’m five years old, it’s getting cold, I’ve got my big coat on…,” before gaining momentum, much to the crowd’s delight. The audience showered Harper with applause as she continued to sing about the love between a daughter and her father, especially when she belted out the emotional bridge: “I have an excellent father, his strength is making me stronger.”
The moment was sealed with a sweet glance between father and daughter as Vedder beamed with pride. As the song concluded, Harper planted a kiss on her father’s head before leaving the stage, leaving the audience in awe of the touching performance.
Pearl Jam’s “Last Kiss” cover, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1999, was a fitting backdrop for the sentimental mash-up with Swift’s heartfelt track. This isn’t the first time Vedder has shown his admiration for Taylor Swift. Back in May, he spoke highly of her after attending her Eras Tour with his family, calling Swift “incredibly prolific” and praising her connection with fans.
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