News | Entertainment
24 Nov 2025 10:36
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Kate Bush sent a "very unique" gift to the Duffer Brothers after Stranger Things led to her landing her first number one single in over 40 years

    The 67-year-old singer's 1985 single Running Up That Hill was introduced to a new audience when it soundtracked a pivotal scene in the fourth season of the Netflix drama in 2022 and she showed her gratitude by sending the showrunners a "cool" cage of robotic birds.


    Ross Duffer told The Guardian newspaper: "We did get a gift from Kate Bush, but it was way cooler than flowers.

    "It was this gilded bird cage with animatronic birds inside it, and you wind it up, and the birds chirp a little song. It's very cool, very unique and very Kate Bush. Only Kate Bush would give this present."

    Following the release of the show, Running Up That Hill gave Kate her first chart-topping single since 1978, going to number one in eight countries including the UK, and in 2023, it hit a billion streams on Spotify.

    But neither the Duffer Brothers nor Kate expected the track to "connect" with people in the way it did.

    Ross said: "We had no idea it would go viral in the way that it did. We were surprised, and Kate was surprised, by how much it connected with younger people. Kate thought that was really cool."

    Ross and his brother Matt Duffer revealed the song will feature again in the upcoming fifth and final season of Stranger Things.

    Matt said: "Again, she's been so great about it."

    Running Up That Hill featured in the show as a connection for Sadie Sink's Max Mayfield to escape villainous Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) and the actress previously admitted she "needed" to get in touch with Kate because she felt she "owed" her "so much" as a result.

    Sadie told Vulture: "The amount of times that I've listened to her music over the past two years is ridiculous. It's gotten to the point where I feel like I've created her in my head. I need to reach out in some way. I would love to write her a letter or something, because she played such a big role in Max's journey. I owe her so much."

    Asked what the letter would say, she added: "A giant thank you. Not only from me, but from the character of Max and from Stranger Things in general, because she's added so much heart to the show and her music has made such an impact on season four.

    "It's so wonderful knowing she thought my scene had so much heart, because I think she really played the biggest role in that."

    The actress developed an "emotional and personal" connection to Running Up That Hill and it will always take her back to filming.

    Asked if she got tired of listening to Kate, she said: "[I] really didn't.

    "I have such an emotional and personal connection to 'Running Up That Hill' and it really lended itself to tapping into the character.

    "Every time I listen to it, I'm transported back to set, being around my favourite people and making my favourite show. I see that song a lot on my TikTok feed.

    "It's probably gotten a little excessive with the amount of videos I find that use the song in the background. But it's a really good thing, because it means that people are watching the show and now listening to Kate Bush. As they should."

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     23 Nov: Tori Kelly has given birth to her first child
     23 Nov: Jeremy Renner's lawyer has insisted he and Yi Zhou have not resolved their conflict
     23 Nov: Kim Kardashian broke down in tears with the pressure of studying for her legal exams
     23 Nov: Lottie Tomlinson says having children has "healed" part of her, after she lost her mother and sister
     23 Nov: Princess Beatrice says the experience of a premature birth can "incredibly lonely"
     23 Nov: Denise Richards is thankful for her "great support system" amid her divorce from Aaron Phypers
     23 Nov: Kelsey Grammer's ex-wife is "living [her] best life" thanks to her divorce settlement
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Christchurch has been called in as a host city for the league World Cup next October and November, a tournament originally set for Australia and Papua New Guinea More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Billions are at stake for small businesses this holiday season, if buyers shop elsewhere More...



     Today's News

    Golf:
    Golfer Lydia Ko has shot an even-par final round 72 to sit at six-under overall in a tie for 41st at the LPGA's season-ending Tour Championship on the Ritz Carlton resort in Florida 10:27

    Accident and Emergency:
    The search for a fisherman swept off the coast near Cape Reinga's getting back underway this morning 10:07

    International:
    Marco Rubio says Ukraine-US peace talks on ending war with Russia 'best so far' 9:47

    Christchurch:
    A search is resuming this morning, for a man reported missing from a lake, popular for swimming, in Christchurch's Harewood 9:37

    Hockey:
    The Black Sticks men have drawn 2-all with hosts Malaysia to open hockey's Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 9:27

    International:
    Iranians fear taps running dry as country faces worst drought in 60 years 8:47

    Tennis:
    Italy have claimed a third consecutive Davis Cup men's team tennis title, this time over Spain in the final at Bologna 8:37

    Law and Order:
    The trucking industry says most vehicles are safe - but regulators need stronger powers to impound those that aren't 8:17

    Rugby League:
    Christchurch has been called in as a host city for the league World Cup next October and November, a tournament originally set for Australia and Papua New Guinea 8:17

    Rugby:
    The All Blacks will review their campaign in the coming weeks as they take stock of a mixed year 8:17


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd