Olivia Rodrigo, Lorde, and Kneecap
Kevin Mazur/Getty Photos/Olivia Rodrigo; Kieran Frost/Redferns/Getty Photos; Leon Neal/Getty Photos
This previous weekend, the music-loving hordes returned to Worthy Farm, and as soon as once more the Glastonbury Pageant didn’t disappoint. The four-day occasion featured a plethora of nice performances, politically charged controversies, and a few wild surprises. Right here’s our run down of the eight largest moments of Glastonbury 2025.
Lewis Capaldi’s Emotional Return
Again in 2023, Scottish crooner Lewis Capaldi was on stage a Glastonbury, making an attempt to carry out whereas visibly battling twitches caused by Tourette’s syndrome. Capaldi acquired some assist from followers as he completed his set, after which he introduced a break from touring in order that he might deal with his psychological and bodily well-being. Two years later, Capaldi was back on the Pyramid Stage at Glasto to “end what I couldn’t end,” as he put it. In the course of the brief set, he carried out hits like “Earlier than You Go,” “Maintain Me Whereas You Wait,” and “Somebody You Liked,” whereas additionally debuting his new comeback monitor, “Survive.”
“I’m not going to say a lot up right here at the moment, as a result of if I do, I’ll most likely begin crying,” Capaldi instructed the gang. “It’s simply wonderful to be right here with you all, and I can’t thanks sufficient for popping out and coming to see me. Second time’s the allure on this one.”
Olivia Rodrigo Has the Treatment
Earlier this month at Governors Ball in New York Metropolis, Olivia Rodrigo brought out David Byrne for a shock efficiency of the Speaking Heads traditional, “Burning Down the Home.” A number of weeks later, she tapped one other Eighties legend, Robert Smith of the Treatment, to make a guest appearance throughout her headlining set at Glastonbury Sunday night time. Rodrigo launched Smith by calling him “maybe one of the best songwriter to return out of England,” in addition to a “Glastonbury legend and a private hero of mine.” The pair went on to carry out two Treatment classics, 1992’s “Friday I’m in Love” and 1987’s “Simply Like Heaven.”
Lorde Almighty
On Friday, Lorde celebrated the discharge of her new album Virgin by performing the LP reside for the primary time at a surprise, early-morning set. The musician took the stage at 11:30 a.m. native time, having solely introduced the set the night time earlier than. However, an enormous crowd packed in to see Lorde, with the BBC even reporting that so many individuals confirmed up, pageant organizers needed to shut entry to the Woodsies discipline. Together with performing all of Virgin, Lorde capped off her set with two longtime favorites, “Ribs” and “Green Light.”
“This can be a one-of-one, you understand?” Lorde instructed followers. “This file took me so much. I didn’t know if I’d make one other file, to be trustworthy, however I’m again right here utterly free. And I’m so grateful to you for ready.”
Kneecap Gained’t Again Down
After months of dialogue and controversy over whether or not Kneecap’s statements in support of Palestine and requires an finish to Israel’s battle in Gaza represent as antisemitism, the Belfast rap trio lastly took the stage Saturday afternoon for certainly one of Glastonbury’s most anticipated units. In between performing a set full of previous favourite sand highlights from their debut album, Fine Art, Kneecap hit out at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who stated it would not be “appropriate” for the band to carry out, and lambasted the “trumped-up terrorism cost” against Mo Chara (he’s accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag at a present final yr). The trio additionally thanked the Glastonbury organizers for not bowing to stress and maintaining them on the lineup, and led the gang in a chant of, “Free, free Palestine.”
Skepta Saves the Day
When the Deftones have been compelled to cancel their Saturday afternoon set attributable to an sickness within the band, Glastonbury organizers have been left scrambling to discover a alternative. Fortunately, grime legend Skepta was in a position to make it to Worthy Farm in time and ship a brief, however thrilling set. Due to the time crunch, Skepta clearly wasn’t in a position to pull collectively all of the bells and whistles one may count on from a primetime slot on Glasto’s second largest stage. However Skepta additionally confirmed why he’s the sort of artist who doesn’t want all these bells and whistles: “Let’s go!!! No crew, no manufacturing however am able to shut Glastonbury down,” he said earlier than doing simply that with a 30-minute set of hits like “Cops & Robbers,” “That’s Not Me,” and “Redrum,” in addition to his new monitor with Fred Again, “Victory Lap.”
Charli XCX’s ‘Boomer Vibe’ Clapback
Charli XCX’s headlining set on the Different stage Saturday was a attribute Brat bonanza, however not everybody feeling it. Those that watched the livestream set fired off some cranky tweets about her efficiency, which Charli decided to respond herself the subsequent morning. “Like the concept singing with deliberate autotune makes you a fraud or that not having a standard band all of the sudden means you need to not be a ‘actual artist’ is like, probably the most boring take ever,” she wrote, earlier than including, “actually having fun with these boomer vibe feedback on my glastonbury efficiency. It’s tremendous fascinating to me.” Such assurance and may’t-be-assed nonchalance is maybe no higher proof of idea for her different Glastonbury proclamation: That Brat Summer is a “perpetually factor.”
Bob Vylan’s Difficult Chants
Whereas a lot of the pre-festival dialogue centered round Kneecap, it was London alt-rap duo Bob Vylan who garnered the largest controversy. In the course of the group’s set, rapper Bobby Vylan led the gang in chants of “Free, free Palestine,” in addition to “Demise, loss of life to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces].” The latter chant garnered the fiercest backlash, with Glastonbury boss Emily Eavis saying pageant organizers have been “appalled,” and that the chants “very a lot crossed a line.” Prime Minister Starmer stated, “There is no such thing as a excuse for this type of appalling hate speech.” The U.S. State Division even determined to step in and revoke the U.S. visas for the duo forward of their fall tour.
Vylan, for his half, issued a statement of his personal, that learn partially, “I stated what I stated.”
(It’s value noting that Bob Vylan and Kneecap have been removed from the one artists to talk out in assist of Palestine on the pageant. Others embrace Amyl and the Sniffers, Nilufer Yanya, Jade Thirlwall, and Elijah Hewson, lead singer of Inhaler and son of U2’s Bono.)
Kate Nash Lashes Out
Singer-songwriter and actress Kate Nash delivered Glastonbury’s other big political salvo over the weekend, with notably sharp phrases for Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling. Nash not too long ago dropped the anti-transphobia single “GERM,” and in calling out Rowling, she stated, “The loudest feminist voice within the U.Ok. is at present transphobic… Dismantling techniques of oppression lies on the very core of feminism, so transphobia shouldn’t be fucking feminist. And simply since you’re a fucking millionaire and a fucking bully with a military of trolls on the fucking web, I don’t give a fuck mate.”
Nash additionally had some sharp phrases for Prime Minister Starmer and Rod Stewart, who not too long ago sparked controversy by voicing his assist for the far-right Reform U.Ok. social gathering and its chief Nigel Farage. Nash devoted her track “Dickhead” to Stewart, Starmer, Rowling, and Farage.
From Rolling Stone US.