Seven pop stars you might not know were influenced by ballet

1 July 2026, 17:08 | Updated: 10 July 2026, 10:05

Brush off your ballet shoes and grab your tutus, because these pop stars are on pointe.

The worlds of ballet and pop music are closer than you think, with multiple artists incorporating the dance form into their aesthetics. From live shows to music videos, here are seven examples of current pop stars who are standing strong in fifth position.

Read more: 19 iconic pop songs you didn’t know were directly inspired by classical music

1. Madonna

Madonna’s involvement in the arts started with ballet, when she received a scholarship to the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. She regularly incorporates her training into her music, and her track ‘Dark Ballet’ samples Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Nutcracker’.

2. Rosalía

Rosalía broke new ground in 2025 with the release of her album ‘LUX’. The genre pivot into symphonic orchestration blending with her usual style of art pop helped to bring a new generation of fans into the world of classical music. Her following sold-out tour featured ballet performances, with Rosalía in full pink tutu dancing to her song ‘Porcelana’.

Read more: Why does Rosalía’s song ‘Berghain’ feature a symphony orchestra and German opera?

3. Olivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo - stupid song (Official Music Video)

Olivia Rodrigo is no stranger to ballet in her music videos, with the opening of ‘Brutal’ taking place in a dance studio with her surrounded by ballet dancers. But it was her recent video, for the single ‘Stupid Song’, that used ballet aesthetics to its full potential.

The video features choreography from ballet star Tiler Peck and dancers from the New York City Ballet, dressed in dyed-pink tutus. The video was filmed at 1.6x speed before being slowed down and, to keep the dancers’ energy up, they played heavy metal music.

4. Laufey

Laufey has deep classical roots, studying piano and cello from a young age. On her latest album, ‘A Matter of Time’, Laufey composed a three-minute ballet interlude to pay homage to composers like Ravel. She has also partnered with dancers from the American Ballet Theatre for a music film at the Guggenheim.

Read more: Who is Laufey? The genre-defying singer-songwriter bringing classical and jazz to Gen Z

5. FKA Twigs

FKA Twigs has a long history with ballet, beginning lessons at the age of eight in Gloucestershire. She regularly incorporates the art form into her live performances and even choreographs for traditional dance companies. The American Ballet Theatre Principal James Whiteside choreographed a ballet to Twigs' music for the Alabama Ballet.

6. Tate McRae

Tate McRae is well known for her impressive dance routines and high-energy performances. But her career began at the Alberta Ballet School in Canada, where she trained in classical ballet. She became the first dancer in history to win the title of ‘Best Female Dancer’ across all age divisions at The Dance Awards. She even appeared on the TV show, ‘So You Think You Can Dance?’.

7. ADÉLA

ADÉLA - KGB (Official Music Video)

Slovak-born singer ADÉLA started ballet training when she was only three years old, and continued dancing until she was thirteen. She moved around Europe for her studies, joining prestigious schools like the Vienna State Ballet and the English National Ballet. ADÉLA still incorporates ballet aesthetics into her music videos and tours.