Poppy made her return to late-night TV with a blistering performance of ‘The Cost Of Giving Up’ on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night (March 10).
The stage was set with fog and scattered flowers as Poppy took centre stage in a shaggy white dress and red gloves. She opened the song with delicate vocals before shifting gears in the final moments, delivering a guttural scream: “Can’t push me further down in the trench / Back against the wall / So you wanna test me now? / While the others beg and fail to repent / They were fit to suffer / And I will dig back out.”
‘The Cost Of Giving Up’ is from her latest album, Negative Spaces, a record that sees Poppy balancing extreme contrasts—biting heaviness against syrupy sweetness. This performance leaned into the former, proving once again that she thrives on the chaos of sonic extremes.
Poppy’s latest Kimmel appearance follows her guest spot with Knocked Loose on the same show in December. That night, she joined the hardcore outfit for a ferocious live version of ‘Suffocate’, bringing her own vicious edge to the track. Knocked Loose’s set featured pyro, circle pits, and an intense downpour, making for one of the most unhinged performances ever seen on late-night TV.
Beyond her live appearances, Poppy has been making waves with recent releases and unexpected crossovers. She recently covered Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Taste’ for Triple J’s Like A Version, flipping the pop song into something darker and more chaotic. She also poked fun at a recent Grammys mix-up involving Spiritbox’s Courtney LaPlante, turning the mishap into a cheeky merch drop.
With Negative Spaces, Poppy continues to blur genre lines and challenge expectations. Whether she’s screaming over metal riffs, reworking pop tracks, or causing mayhem on TV, she’s proving she’s got no interest in fitting into anyone’s mould.
