Watch: Maggie Rogers Covers Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me”
Photo by Kelly Jeffrey
Over the weekend, Maggie Rogers delivered a hypnotically resonant performance of Bonnie Raitt’s 1991 emblematic single “I Can’t Make You Love Me” during an in-studio set for SiriusXM’s The Spectrum Sessions. Rather than Bruce Hornsby, who played piano on Raitt’s version, the June 2024 iteration featured accompaniment from composer and producer Bryn Bliska, who also acts as Rogers’ co-musical director and band member. Though Rogers is often celebrated for her eclectic dance moves and complex production, the acoustic duo highlighted the song’s devastating lyrics with stripped-down vocals and clear piano melodies alone—just like Raitt.
Having studied music at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music and the spirituality of public gatherings (often musical ones) at Harvard Divinity School, Rogers is keenly aware of the artists who paved her way and continue to inspire her and regularly pays them tribute. Last month on Don’t Forget Me Tour, the electric singer-songwriter performed a stunningly controlled rendition of Joni Mitchell’s pioneering song “Cactus Tree” on acoustic guitar on May 28 at Morrison, Colo.’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre. She also surprised fans in Irving, Texas, a few days later, on May 31, with a duet of Leon Bridges’ masterful track “River” in collaboration with the acclaimed multi-instrumentalist himself, complete with both isolated vocals and rich, full harmonies.
While she often honors her favorite musicians by covering their work, Rogers also pays their legacies homage by placing their artistry in conversation with hers, giving both works new life. At her June 1 show in The Woodlands, Texas, for example, Rogers interpolated snippets of legendary R&B-funk powerhouse Chaka Khan’s 1983 hit “Ain’t Nobody” with a signature track of her own, the vibrant dance tune “Overnight,” released in 2019 on her debut record Heard It in A Past Life. This kind of tribute is a trademark of the Maryland native’s oeuvre—on earlier tours, Rogers often performed a dynamic mashup of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” and her own “Retrograde” to honor the iconic women who preceded her.
As the summer continues, so will the Don’t Forget Me Tour, which resumes June 7 in Cincinnati, Ohio, alongside indie-rock outfit The Japanese House, just prior to Rogers’ performance at Manchester, Tenn.’s famed Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 14. Though Part I of the Don’t Forget Me Tour comes to a close at the end of June, Rogers’ summer is far from over, as she is set to head to Europe in August for evenings with Coldplay in Munich, Vienna and Dublin as well as a series of intimate London shows in September. Upon returning to the States, Rogers will head back on the road for Part II of the Don’t Forget Me Tour with ethereal supporting act Ryan Beatty in October, making notable stops at TD Garden, Madison Square Garden, the United Center and the Kia Forum.
Fans can watch “I Can’t Make You Love Me” here. The full session is available to stream on demand for SiriusXM subscribers. Read on for a list of upcoming Maggie Rogers tour dates, with tickets available here.
Upcoming Maggie Rogers Tour Dates
June 7 – The Andrew J Brady Music Center, – Cincinnati, Ohio*
June 8 – BMO Pavilion – Milwaukee, Wis.*
June 9 – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre – Sterling Heights, Mich.*
June 11 – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre – Alpharetta, Ga.*
June 14 – Bonnaroo Arts and Music Festival – Manchester, Tenn.
June 16 – Merriweather Post Pavilion – Columbia, Md.*
June 19 – Coastal Credit Union Music Park – Raleigh, N.C.*
June 20 – Credit One Stadium – Charleston, S.C.*
June 22 – FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park – Miami
Aug. 15 – Olympiastadion – Munich, Germany^
Aug. 17 – Olympiastadion – Munich, Germany^
Aug. 18 – Olympiastadion – Munich, Germany^
Aug. 21 – Ernst-Happel-Stadion – Vienna, Austria^
Aug. 22 – Ernst-Happel-Stadion – Vienna, Austria^
Aug. 24 – Ernst-Happel-Stadion – Vienna, Austria^
Aug. 25 – Ernst-Happel-Stadion – Vienna, Austria^
Aug. 29 – Croke Park – Dublin, Ireland^
Aug. 30 – Croke Park – Dublin, Ireland^
Sept. 1 – Croke Park – Dublin, Ireland^
Sept. 2 – Croke Park – Dublin, Ireland^
Sept. 4 – Hackney Empire – London, UK
Sept. 5 – Hackney Empire – London, UK
Oct. 9 – Moody Center – Austin, Texas@
Oct. 15 – Wells Fargo Center– Philadelphia@
Oct. 17 – TD Garden – Boston@
Oct. 19 – Madison Square Garden – New York@
Oct. 20 – Madison Square Garden – New York@
Oct. 22 – Coca-Cola Coliseum – Toronto, Ontario@
Oct. 24 – United Center – Chicago@
Oct. 25 – Target Center– Minneapolis@
Oct. 29 – Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle@
Oct. 30 – Moda Center – Portland, Ore. @
Nov. 1 – Chase Center– San Francisco@
Nov. 2 –Kia Forum– Inglewood, Calif.@
*w/ The Japanese House
^w/ Coldplay
@w/ Ryan Beatty