‘Stranger Things’ Live From the Upside Down Performer Corey Hart Details ‘Innovative’ Concert Experience (Exclusive)

Netflix and Doritos have partnered for a Stranger Things concert event, Live From the Upside Down, which brings together some of the biggest names in ’80s music. The Go-Go’s, Corey Hart, and Soft Cell — as well as modern pop star Charli XCX — joined forced for Doritos Fest ’86, a big music show that, legend tells, never happened because the artists got lost in the Upside Down from the hit sci-fi series. Speaking exclusively to PopCulture.com, Hart offered some details about the concert experience, calling it “innovative and quintessential.”

Recounting what it was like filming the concert, Hart praised the “remarkable” team that helped assemble everything. “A lot of creative people, and you’re talking about folks that are at the top of the profession, top of the food chain. So you’ve got immaculate equipment, set design, production, you’re talking about Netflix, Stranger Things. Plus you’re in the Upside Down. So how can you complain about such an innovative or quintessential idea, or concept? So it was a thrill. Truthfully, it was a thrill to have been asked. There are so many great artists from the eighties that they could have asked to participate in the show, and I was deeply honored that they included me.”

Hart has had a prestigious music career throughout the past few decades. He’s sold millions of albums, written and produced for Celine Dion, and has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Canada’s Walk of Fame. Jump back, however, it all started with his 1983 debut album First Offense and its hit single “Sunglasses at Night,” unquestionably one of the most well-known and beloved tunes from the ’80s.

“Quite honestly, the song and I have had a romance from the day that it was created. It’s a very special song,” Hart said of how he reflects on the song now. “It was my first single as a songwriter. And that’s what I wanted to do when I was in my teens was write music and be able to create some music that would resonate with folks. And the beauty and the magic of music is that it travels and takes you to so many different portals, a word that Stranger Things. I’m just super grateful that I’ve been fortunate to have a number of songs that have resonated with folks over the years. And my relationship with the song is deep. The roots are deep, and I’m very proud of it.”

It’s important to note that “Sunglasses at Night” is not Hart’s only song to have such longevity, as the track “Never Surrender” from his sophomore album, Boy in the Box, has continued to resonate with fans across the world. In fact, that song was even featured in a Stanger Things scene, wherein Mike (Finn Wolfhard) breaks out while listening to it while kissing Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). “I was absolutely thrilled when I saw that, because first of all, the scene is so touching, and it is such a sweet scene between Mike and Eleven,” Hart said.

He continued: “The way he sings the song, and I had anticipated that the music was going to be in the background, but when I actually saw him doing a karaoke version or singing it and it was just so sweet and so youthful and innocent. It’s just so real, so authentic. I think that’s one of the beauties of the show is how the characters are so well developed, the script is so well written, and you really identify with so many different characters and personalities on that show.”

The big “Live from the Upside Down” event kicks off on June 23rd. In addition to the epic performances, viewers will also have access to 1980s-inspired concert merch like t-shirts, hats, bags, and posters. Fans can get access to the epic Doritos Music Fest ’86 concert, by clicking on this Snacks.com link. Stay tuned to PopCulture.com for more coverage in the near future!