“My internal teenager’s like, ‘Jon Bon Jovi knows who I am. Oh my god!’” Lzzy Hale reacts to Bon Jovi’s leader telling her to join Skid Row

Lzzy Hale onstage in 2022 and Jon Bon Jovi in 2024
(Image credit: Dave Simpson/WireImage | Neil P. Mockford/Getty Images)

Halestorm singer/guitarist Lzzy Hale has responded to Jon Bon Jovi telling her to join Skid Row full-time.

Hale played four concerts with Skid Row in May and June, filling in for former singer Erik Grönwall.

In June, Bon Jovi had a video Q&A where fellow rock musicians asked him questions.

When one from Hale was played, the vocalist said: “She should please join Skid Row.

“Please, Lzzy Hale, join Skid Row. Put the two bands [Skid Row and Halestorm] together, if you need to.

Bon Jovi then joked: “But this is the best thing that happened to Snake [Skid Row guitarist Dave Sabo] since he met me.”

In a new interview with Heavy Consequence, Hale has responded to Bon Jovi’s endorsement, expressing gratitude for his attention and encouragement.

“My internal teenagers like, ‘Jon Bon Jovi knows who I am. Oh my god!’” she says (via Blabbermouth).

“And then I’m like, ‘Oh my god. How sweet of him to say all these things.’

“And then from that, then I’m hearing from my dad […] We used to cover Livin’ On A Prayer back in PA [Pennsylvania] bars and stuff, and, and he’s like, ‘You used to listen to [1992 Skid Row album] Slave To The Grind. What are you thinking right now?’

“I’m like, ‘I don't know what to think. This is crazy!’”

On June 4, following her final concert with Skid Row, Hale confirmed via social media that she isn’t joining the band full-time.

She wrote in part: “And even though this particular time in my life prevents me from committing to a permanent role in Skid Row… I am sending in my official request to the universe that we will be able to join forces again down the road.”

Skid Row have also said that they are looking for different full-time vocalists to carry on with.

Bassist Rachel Bolan told Detroit’s WRIF radio station in June: “We have [been talking to singers about permanently replacing Grönwall, but] no one, really, with a name.

“But, yeah, we’ve been talking to a few guys that piqued our interest, for sure. But right now we’re just concentrating on these shows with Lzzy and having fun with it.”

One singer who won’t be joining Skid Row on a permanent basis is former frontman Sebastian Bach, who led the glam metal act from 1986 to 1996.

Bach made a public plea to get his old job back in a Metal Hammer interview, but guitarist Dave “The Snake” Sabo shot the idea down.

He said: “Well, the answer has been the same for – I don’t know – 20,000 years now. It’s not gonna happen.”

Halestorm are currently playing across North America on a co-headline run with I Prevail.

The two bands released a collaborative single, Can U See Me In The Dark?, to promote the tour.

See the full list of dates and get tickets via the Halestorm website.

Bon Jovi released their new album, Forever, on June 7.

Their namesake singer has ruled out the notion of touring to promote the record in the foreseeable future, as he continues to recover from vocal cord surgery in 2022.

Lzzy Hale on Fronting Skid Row and Receiving Praise from Jon Bon Jovi - YouTube Lzzy Hale on Fronting Skid Row and Receiving Praise from Jon Bon Jovi - YouTube
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Matt Mills
Contributing Editor, Metal Hammer

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Prog and Metal Hammer, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, NME, Guitar and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.