Papa Roach surprised fans back on April 5, 2025, when country-pop icon Carrie Underwood joined them on stage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The special collaboration featured live performances of “Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark)” and the band’s massive hit “Last Resort”. A professionally filmed video of the “Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark)” performance has now been released online.
The partnership between Papa Roach and Underwood began in 2024 when they recorded a new version of “Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark)”, a reimagining of the band’s 2022 track. The song supports suicide prevention and mental health awareness, a cause Papa Roach has been deeply involved in. The updated version was released in August 2024, with Underwood expressing her gratitude for being part of the project.
“I’m such a huge fan of Jacoby [Shaddix, Papa Roach frontman] and Papa Roach and was honored to be invited to record “Leave A Light On” with them,” she said. “It’s a beautiful song and the message behind it and the band’s mission to shine a light on suicide prevention and mental health awareness has never been more important.”
Jacoby Shaddix praised Underwood for her involvement, sharing how much her contribution elevated the track. “We were humbled that Carrie was open to our mission, and hearing the power of Carrie’s voice in that recording session, we were blown away,” Shaddix said. “Not only is her vocal ability unequaled, but the impact of her voice brings a new meaning to our cause and will help people all over the globe. It’s an honor to have a ‘Rock Star’ bring life to this track with us.”
![Papa Roach & Carrie Underwood - Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark) [Official Live Video]](https://i0.wp.com/i.ytimg.com/vi/M8KbEHn5P8o/hqdefault.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
The original version of “Leave A Light On” was first performed live during Papa Roach‘s The Revolutions Live Tour in September 2023. Over 250,000 fans attended 30 shows on the tour. Each performance was preceded by a heartfelt PSA from Shaddix, who pledged a donation to AFSP on behalf of each city’s attendees. The tour concluded with a $155,000 total donation in Denver, Colorado.
After the tour, the band officially released a video version of the track and renamed the single “Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark)” to align with AFSP‘s “Talk Away The Dark” campaign. Papa Roach also committed to donating all royalties from the song indefinitely to support suicide prevention.
Reflecting on the song’s impact, Shaddix shared, “We had a passion for this song from the time we finished it. When creating the set list for the final leg of the Ego Trip album cycle, we wanted to see if the live audience would connect with “Leave A Light On” the way we did. From that first show, it connected. We could see it on their faces and instantly knew the power of this song to ‘leave a light on’ for those who needed it most.”
With the release of the new version of “Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark)”, Papa Roach and Underwood partnered with several mental health organizations. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) will receive perpetual royalties from both artists for the song. They also collaborated with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. and Canada to raise awareness through the track.
AFSP CEO Bob Gebbia expressed his gratitude, saying: “We are incredibly grateful to Papa Roach and Carrie Underwood for their commitment to providing those struggling with their mental health information and resources that can help.”
“Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark)” appears on Papa Roach‘s tenth studio album, Ego Trip, released in April 2022. Produced by Colin Brittain, Nick Furlong, and Papa Roach, the record also features three previous No. 1 singles: “Kill The Noise”, “No Apologies”, and “Cut The Line”, the latter featuring Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo.
The live performance with Carrie Underwood marked a defining moment in the band’s ongoing mission to use their music as a force for healing and change.
