As someone who has spent almost half of her life listening to OneRepublic, following their journey from the early days of Dreaming Out Loud to their latest releases, and having seen them perform several times over the years, writing about their BST Hyde Park set was surprisingly emotional. After last year’s show in London, which I wasn’t able to attend, they were announced as special guests at BST Hyde Park, and it genuinely felt like an early Christmas present.

But sometimes, seeing artists you have grown up with can be bittersweet.

Anyone who listened to OneRepublic from the start knows that Ryan was never just another frontman. His voice had a beautiful colour and texture, instantly recognisable whether he was singing with his own band or collaborating with other artists globally. Unfortunately, as difficult as it is to admit, that voice wasn’t quite there on that day.

Of course, voices change with age, and every artist experiences that differently. Yet, as a lifelong listener, and perhaps because I have heard Ryan perform these songs so many times over the years, there were moments during the BST set where his vocals felt almost unrecognisable. The high notes occasionally appeared, reminding us of the singer he once was, but much of the evening was characterised by vocal struggle, but let’s stick to the thought he might have been ill.

And yet, despite all of that, OneRepublic still managed to deliver something that mattered: an entertaining and musically joyful live show.

London was experiencing another scorching summer day, and Hyde Park was packed with a very different audience from the crowds seen at the festival the previous weekend. As the evening sun beat down across the park, OneRepublic took the stage to the sounds of Runway, their 2023 single from the band’s sixth studio album, Artificial Paradise (2024).

The longer you watched the show, the more you noticed that Ryan was determined to give everything he had. He ran across the stage, interacted with the crowd, and delivered the performance with the passion that we have loved for nearly twenty years.

This was followed by Good Life, originally released on the band’s second album, Waking Up (2009). Ryan, armed with his tambourine, had the crowd singing along while, on the side of the stage, BST Hyde Park’s sign language interpreters once again showed why they have become one of the festival’s most essential teams, delivering their own wonderfully energetic performance.

“We’ve been playing together for about nineteen years,” Ryan told the crowd. For many of us standing in Hyde Park, those words hit home, reminding us just how fast time flies.

Stop and Stare was performed next. Released in 2007 as the second single from Dreaming Out Loud, the song remains one of the band’s most recognisable songs, particularly in the UK and across Europe. For many people in their late thirties and forties, this was the song that introduced them to OneRepublic. Nearly two decades later, its lyrics about growing older and questioning life’s direction somehow feel even more relevant.

Secrets, from the band’s 2009 album Waking Up, featured live cello and violin. Unfortunately, this was also one of the moments where Ryan’s vocal difficulties became more noticeable. Still, there is something to be said for an artist who continues to stand on stage and give everything, even when perfection wasn’t possible.

Rescue Me, originally released in 2019 and later included on Human (2021), allowed Ryan to remind the audience that he has spent over two decades writing songs for some of the world’s biggest artists.

“If you’ll allow me,” he joked, “we’re going to have OneRepublic karaoke for seven minutes.”

Ryan then took the audience on a brief journey through his songwriting career. The crowd enthusiastically joined in for Beyoncé’s Halo, famously co-written by Tedder, before moving on to Leona Lewis’s Bleeding Love, which he co-wrote with Jesse McCartney and which became one of the most important songs of 2007 in the UK. Finally came Adele’s Rumour Has It from her monumental 2011 album 21. If nothing else, it was a reminder of Ryan’s extraordinary talent as a songwriter.

Returning to OneRepublic’s own songs, Apologize delivered one of my favourite moments of the night. Originally released in 2006 and turned into a global hit with Timbaland’s 2007 remix, the song has truly stood the test of time.

The arrangement was stripped back at first, leaving Ryan alone at the piano. This is the artist many fans still hold close: the songwriter and the musician. As thousands of voices joined him for the chorus, the song arguably became an anthem of the night. I Ain’t Worried, their 2022 hit from Top Gun: Maverick, completely changed the atmosphere. Ryan sprinted down the catwalk, greeting fans at the barrier and somehow finding another reserve of energy despite the oppressive heat.

I Lived‘s performance was somewhat moving. Released on the band’s Native album in 2013, here, the raspiness in Ryan’s voice almost worked in the song’s favour, giving vulnerability to the lyrics. The final stretch of the concert delivered exactly what the crowd had been waiting for. Love Runs Out, released in 2014 as part of the Native era, raised the energy before Counting Stars had the entire park singing. Ryan then introduced I Don’t Wanna Wait, his recent collaboration with David Guetta, admitting that the song was still relatively new to their live set.

As OneRepublic closed with If I Lose Myself from Native, particularly in its Alesso remix form, the drumming throughout the finale was exceptional, filling Hyde Park.

“London, thank you very much!” Ryan shouted, and then it was over.

Was this the best OneRepublic performance I have ever seen? No. Was Ryan vocally at his best? Unfortunately, no. But was it still a special experience? Absolutely. Perhaps because, after nineteen years, OneRepublic are no longer simply a band for many of us. They are part of our own histories, attached to our first loves, heartbreaks, university years, friendships and adulthood. Sometimes live music is not about technical perfection; sometimes it is simply about the music itself.

And despite everything, standing in Hyde Park listening to songs that have soundtracked half of my life, I found myself grateful to still be there.

Written by Maggie Gogler

Featured image © 2026 BST Hyde Park

_{View of the Arts is an online publication dedicated to film, music, and the arts, with a strong focus on the Asian entertainment industry. As we continue to grow, we aim to deepen our coverage of Asian music while remaining committed to exploring and celebrating creativity across the global arts landscape.}