St Pancras station in London transformed into a vibrant scene of impromptu entertainment when British pop star Olly Alexander and his lookalike, Keith Marshall—who performs under the name 'Starstruck'—joined forces for an unexpected busking session. The two artists treated commuters to a surprise 30-minute duet of Alexander's popular song 'Desire', creating an atmosphere of delight and excitement among the gathering crowd.

This spontaneous performance occurred as Marshall was already captivating the audience with his rendition of the song, drawing on his experience as a tribute performer at various festivals and events across the UK. The collaboration between Alexander and Marshall was met with enthusiasm, and Alexander later shared his reflections on the experience, stating, "Why have one of something when you can have two? It was nice being able to perform with my wonderful doppelganger, Keith. I hope the crowd had as much fun as I did."

The event was coincidentally aligned with a recent research study conducted by Twix, which surveyed 2,000 adults across the UK. The campaign, titled 'Two is more than one', explored the intriguing concept of doppelgangers in contemporary society. Findings revealed that 40 per cent of Brits find the idea of having a lookalike fascinating, and a substantial 78 per cent expressed interest in meeting their own doppelganger.

The study also highlighted that 37 per cent of participants have previously been mistaken for someone else, with over half of those surveyed intrigued by the possibility of having a lookalike somewhere in the world. Notably, members of Generation Z exhibited the highest enthusiasm for the idea, particularly appreciating the prospects of delegating mundane tasks to their doubles. Many suggested using a lookalike to handle chores such as washing dishes and doing laundry, as well as attending social events on their behalf.

Time constraints also emerged as a noteworthy theme in the study, as 55 per cent of respondents reported feeling overwhelmed by their daily responsibilities, with numerous individuals citing insufficient hours in the day. Almost half believed that possessing a clone would significantly alleviate these pressures, enabling them to accomplish more tasks and experience reduced stress.

Twix's senior brand manager, Lauren Godfrey, commented on the findings, stating, "In a world where time is precious, having a clone would be the ultimate life hack. While we may not have doubles of ourselves just yet, we're pleased to have doubled the fun for many of the public today. It's important to make time for little treats amongst the day-to-day."

The event at St Pancras station, combined with the insights from Twix's research, underscores a growing cultural fascination with doppelgangers and the ways in which people seek to manage their busy lives through creative imaginings of having an alternate self.

Source: Noah Wire Services