When Robbie Williams’ monkey-riddled biopic, “Better Man,” hit cinemas last year, its delectable absurdity, bittersweet hardships, and noughties nostalgia rocked the pop scene to its core. We all know Robbie’s a bit of a madman (in the best possible way) – but even while running the promo rounds for his new flick, Robbie proved he hadn’t lost a glimmer of his cheeky chart-topping charisma when he performed a hilarious rendition of “Rock DJ,” live on The Graham Norton Show.
This performance has gone YouTube-viral, amassing over 2.5 million views within just nine months of hitting the site. And even if Robbie Williams doesn’t rank among your favourite pop legends, his Graham Norton performance captures enough nostalgia, charm and unfiltered talent to make any viewer feel like it’s the Year 2000 again. Music Man readers can check out Robbie’s epic performance in the video below.
Robbie kicks things off from Graham Norton’s sofa, surrounded by fellow celebrities as show host Graham drapes a larger-than-life brown fur coat over the star, handing him a mic before Robbie busts out some true throwback dance moves. Wearing shades indoors like a Hollywood legend, Robbie instantly brings the absurd hilarity of his biopic to life, before even dropping his first verse.
And that first verse is exceptional. “Rock DJ” may be a blast from the past when it comes to pop hits, but Robbie slays his rapped verse as if the millennium has only just turned, packing his lyrics with unbelievable personality, proving he’s still got what it takes.
Strutting from the sofa to the main stage, Robbie kicks a football into the audience before unleashing his pitch-perfect vocals in the pre-chorus: bold, gruff, and flooded with star power. As the chorus hits, Robbie affirms he’s one of the best ‘dad dancers’ on the scene, busting some ‘70s disco moves while commanding the stage like he was born to perform.
At 50 years of age in this clip, Robbie serves pure youth as he raps his second spot-on verse while sitting on a grand piano, drowning in his oversized fur coat like a teen star fresh on the scene. It’s the perfect balance between A-List exuberance and the cheeky, down-to-earth personality that made Robbie a living legend, and it’s thrilling to witness Robbie keeping the vibes high this far into his career.
Didn’t think it could get any madder? Just wait until the pogo stick dance break between the final choruses!
YouTube fans have been going wild over this clip, praising the “unapologetic showman” for his Oscar-worthy performance. But one top commenter truly hit the nail on the head when they wrote, “I’ll never understand why he wasn’t popular in the US, he was famous everywhere else. He is a great singer, great movements, good presence, basically the total package as an artist. And the beauty of it is: he clearly hasn’t lost his touch.”