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Rita Ora cringes as ukulele busker Liam Cowan hops in her car for an impromptu performance

BBG News

Rita Ora had an awkward moment when a street musician playing the ukulele unexpectedly joined her car and sang his self-composed song, titled “Dolla Dolla,” on the spot.

Last year, the musician commonly known as ‘Liam C’, whose real name is Liam Cowan, became well-known for a rather awkward serenade of Dua Lipa, aged 29. Additionally, he has been seen bothering other celebrities like Stormzy, who is 31 years old, during the Glastonbury Festival.

Currently, Liam recently posted a video on Instagram where he’s joyfully performing his song, but Rita, who is 34 years old, appears visibly uneasy in response.

At the start of the video, Rita was accompanied to her car by security due to a crowd of enthusiastic fans and camera-wielding photographers calling out her name.

I, being an eager follower, made my way through the crowd, right alongside my cameraman, determinedly heading towards Rita’s vehicle, where I aimed to join her.

Once inside the car, Liam introduced Rita to the camera and said: ‘We just had an absolute madness.

He went on: ‘It’s extremely kind of her to allow me to ride in her car so I can perform a nice song for her. Is that acceptable?’

Rita simply replied: ‘Always.’ 

Later on, Liam described the theme of his song. He stated: ‘This tune is titled Dollar Dollar. Essentially, it’s a reflection of me, wandering with my backpack and hustling everywhere like Ed Sheeran, doing everything possible to draw attention. Hence, this song is all about that experience.’

When he started playing the ukulele, Rita’s indifferent face spoke volumes, and she seemed at a loss for something to say.

After a swift display, Liam inquired from Rita if she enjoyed it, to which she graciously responded, “I thought it was wonderful.

One playfully commented: “Her expression tells the whole story (smiling face with tears of joy);” for the first statement,

For the second statement, one might say: “She looked really stressed out (face with tears emoji),”

“She appears cool but doesn’t seem to enjoy it (smiling face with a tear emoji).

Previously, Liam boasted that he managed to sneak into the Glastonbury Festival last year by using deceit, all as part of an attempt to boost his emerging music career.

Alongside his friend and cameraman Andreas Tomoiaga, Liam shared his trip from home to Somerset on his Instagram account, filling it with clips of himself singing his tunes for both well-known musicians and festival goers throughout the three-day event.

As a devoted spectator, I found myself among those who listened to the aspiring performer during the festivities. Many in the crowd seemed to echo Dua’s less-than-impressed response, a sentiment that quickly spread and became viral.

Nevertheless, rapper Stormzy displayed a much more understanding reaction shortly following his light-hearted comment “not you again!” when Liam successfully found him once more at the 2023 festival, marking the second consecutive year this occurred after Stormzy’s performance in front of him.

Additionally, the street performer sang for Woody Cook, the child of renowned DJ Norman Cook, also known as Fatboy Slim, and Zoe Ball, as well as musician Hak Baker. Furthermore, he entertained festival attendees and passengers on their way to the event by train.

A festival source told TopMob at the time: ‘Liam was literally playing that song to everyone.

‘Anybody who cared to listen, he was there with his ukulele.

Many individuals appreciated his upbeat demeanor, while some festival attendees, on the other hand, found him rather annoying. A significant number fell into both categories.

Following his assertion that he sneaked past security to gain access, Liam explained to his audience that he donned wristbands from last year’s event to bypass additional security screenings.

The street performer was so eager to participate in festivals and share his music, he even created a platform for online fundraising.

His Facebook page states he grew up in Colchester, Essex, before moving to Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

Liam, boasting a following of approximately 67,000 on Instagram, graced the stage at the Isle of Wight Festival in June, having been given the opportunity to perform there.

However, he is particularly renowned for serenading strangers on the street and aiming to win over celebrities with his music.

In the year 2023, during his initial visit to Glastonbury, he put on a show for not just Stormzy, but also ex-footballers Peter Crouch and Jamie Carragher, singer Tom Grennan, rapper Aitch, and former Made in Chelsea personality Spencer Matthews.

Prior to his visit to the Isle of Wight, he had an opportunity to meet both Stacey Dooley (Strictly Come Dancing winner) and James Buckley (star of The Inbetweeners) outside the stage door of their London theater performance “2:22”.

In May of 2023, he performed for Rick Astley, an ’80s singer, as well as rapper Professor Green, at the Kendal Calling event. Additionally, he sang for the Girls Aloud duo consisting of Kimberley Walsh and Nicola Roberts at Mighty Hoopla.

It was me, utterly captivated by the passion burning within, who took center stage during that grand festival and dedicated a heartfelt rendition to none other than the enchanting Dua. Little did I know that my impassioned performance would inadvertently catapult me into stardom, all thanks to her priceless, unforgettable reaction, which, as fate would have it, swept the internet like wildfire.

While standing by the Pyramid Stage, Liam addressed the star, expressing his admiration, “I watched your Camden documentary and found it truly extraordinary.

At the moment, I’m performing some tunes here in Camden. Could I share a brief snippet of one of my songs with you? If you enjoy it, I’d appreciate any feedback on your reaction – nothing more than that.

At the thirty-second mark, Dua politely exclaims, “I really like it, buddy! It’s fantastic, truly fantastic!” as she walks off, allowing Liam to carry on singing.

‘The video of the young man serenading Dua Lipa at Glastonbury festival made me cringe so deeply it’s almost comical.’

Someone posted a screenshot of Dua Lipa looking unimpressed, along with this comment: “Every woman globally can empathize with Dua Lipa, waiting for the man to stop strumming his guitar.

1. ‘If you observe carefully, you can identify the precise instant when her heart splits in two.’;
2. ‘She expected it to be like a harmonious chorus, but he continued on, making her laugh out loud.’;
3. ‘Dua, if you need assistance, just give me a visual signal by blinking twice.’;
4. ‘The Dua Lipa video almost caused me to crumple up like a collapsible chair in a camping setting.’;

Others argued in defense of Liam with the observation: “I guess if performing a poor song and appearing foolish wins you a hug from Dua Lipa, then I’ll certainly purchase a ukulele.

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2025-06-20 14:20

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