Dance Monkey v the NRL: did Tones and I really turn down $90,000 a minute because she hates her own song?

For the first time in recent history there’ll be no pre-game entertainment at the NRL grand final. But everyone has a different story about what actually went down

Emma Joyce explains it to Steph Harmon

Published Sep 24, 2026

Dance Monkey v the NRL: did Tones and I really turn down $90,000 a minute because she hates her own song?

Emma, the NRL and Tones and I seem to be at war – but I can’t make sense of what’s going on.

I’ll try to catch you up. The Dance Monkey singer made headlines this week after it was leaked she’d turned down an offer to perform at next weekend’s NRL grand final. The rugby league boss Peter V’landys said negotiations broke down due to “artistic differences”, and some claimed it was because the Aria award-winning artist didn’t want to play her biggest hit.

Source: The Guardian ↗

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Dance Monkey v the NRL: did Tones and I really turn down $90,000 a minute because she hates her own song?

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