At the 2024 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony—often dubbed “the Oscars of Science”—the atmosphere was electric. Nobel-caliber discoveries had just been honored, but the real surprise came when Adam Levine stepped onto the stage… and behind the grand piano was none other than David Foster.
Two powerhouses. One from the world of pop. One from the symphonic heights of production. One shared language: music.
The pair delivered a soul-stirring rendition of “Hard to Say I’m Sorry”, the classic Chicago ballad co-written by Foster. With Levine’s unmistakable falsetto gliding over Foster’s elegant keys, the performance brought a hush over a room full of physicists, mathematicians, and Silicon Valley giants.
It was intimate yet grand. Under a constellation of lights that mimicked galaxies, the moment became a bridge between emotion and intellect—a reminder that discovery isn’t only about data, but also about the human condition.
David Foster, in his element, played with the precision of a scientist and the heart of a storyteller. Levine, stripped of stadium gloss, gave one of the most vulnerable, vocally pure performances of his career.
When the final chord faded, the applause was instant—and it wasn’t polite. It was thunderous. Some even said it was the first time they’d seen scientists give a standing ovation without peer review.