Rina Sawayama appears to call out The 1975 frontman Matty Healy over podcast controversy
Saturday (24 June) at Glastonbury Festival ended in dramatic fashion when Lana Del Rey’s set was cut, after she arrived on the Woodsies stage 30 minutes late.
Billed to perform while headliners Guns N’ Roses were playing the Pyramid Stage, the US pop artist kept fans waiting way past her scheduled time of 10.30pm. She finally arrived, and later appeared to blame the delay on her hair.
Drama seemed to be the order of the day. Earlier, Japanese-British artist appeared to call out her label-mate, The 1975 frontman Matty Healy, for a controversial podcast interview that included a number of derogatory remarks about women and Asian people.
Meanwhile, Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi was forced to cut his own set early due to vocal issues, but received enormous support from the thousands of people who sang along with him. Later, Lizzo dazzled with a jaw-dropping performance of some of her biggest hits, including “Boys” and “Watch Out for the Big Grrrls”.
The night before, Arctic Monkeys took to the festival’s main stage, marking the third time the Sheffield-formed band have headlined the festival. Brighton-based rock duo Royal Blood performed on the main stage three weeks after their controversial gig at BBC Radio 1’s Biggest Weekend in May. Read Jazz Monroe’s two-star review here.
The BBC is broadcasting the festival across all of its main channels, including BBC Radio, iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
Glastonbury 2023 highlights
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A very moving moment from Lewis Capaldi’s set yesterday…
Glastonbury crowd sings with emotional Lewis Capaldi as he struggles to finish set
Louis Chilton25 June 2023 11:51
Glastonbury have issued some advice before what’s sure to be a sweltering day of music at Worthy Farm.
It’s hot enough here in London – I’m told the festival site was a “furnace” yesterday.
Louis Chilton25 June 2023 11:31
This just in on social media: Japanese Breakfast have to cancel their set today. The band, led by Michelle Zauner, were struck by late-in-the-day travel issues.
“Well Glasto… we hustled out of Luxembourg at 9 pm, woke for customs at 3 am, and again for a 6 am ferry, hired an additional driver to floor it for our 12:30 set and due to various travel delays out of our control we are just not able to make it in time. We are devastated.
“I’ve always wanted to play Glastonbury and we did everything we could to be there. Hopefully we will be back for another year.”
Louis Chilton25 June 2023 11:11
Checked in with The Independent’s people on the ground at Worthy Farm. Some fallout from Lana Del Rey’s abrupt ending…
“Summertime Sadness” was apparently one of the songs cut off.
“Lots of frustration in the press tent/hospitality that Lana got cut off, when she wasn’t exactly going to be keeping anyone in Exeter awake with her music…”
Here’s a full review of the (not so full) set, if you’ve not read yet:
Louis Chilton25 June 2023 11:03
A wee look back at some of the highlights from yesterday.
Just one day to go – which will include Elton John’s final ever performance.
Glastonbury: Rick Astley, Lizzo and Guns N’ Roses light up Pyramid Stage on Saturday
Louis Chilton25 June 2023 10:32
Astley certainly had a ball yesterday.
This is a photo from the evening, after his full set of Smiths covers alongside Blossoms.
Louis Chilton25 June 2023 10:17
Another moment from yesterday: the Red Arrows fly over Worthy Farm during Lewis Capaldi’s set
Watch Red Arrows Stage Flypast During Lewis Capaldi’s Glastonbury Set
Louis Chilton25 June 2023 10:00
Spotted during Guns N’ Roses’ set last night. They don’t make ’em like they used to…
Louis Chilton25 June 2023 09:46
Here’s a look at the moment the crowd started singing Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games”, after her microphone was cut.
“I was so f***ing livid that I am about to rush this set today,” she said, shortly before the set finished.
“If they cut power, they cut power, I’m super f***ing sorry… my hair takes so long to do, I love you. Let’s keep on running this set as it’s supposed to go.”
Fans serenade Lana Del Rey with ‘Video Games’ after Glastonbury set cut short
Louis Chilton25 June 2023 09:30
Lizzo review, Glastonbury 2023: Life-affirming performance leaves you baffled as to why she wasn’t a headliner
Glastonbury got it in the neck this year for its lack of women headliners. Watching Lizzo’s exceptionally glammy live performance ahead of Guns N’ Roses on the Pyramid Stage, you’re left baffled as to why she wasn’t in the top slot. Earlier this year she sold out two nights at London’s O2 Arena as part of a mammoth tour, won Record of the Year at the Grammys for her 2022 album Special, and was immortalised playing flute on The Simpsons. Her punchy power-disco-pop, zinging with self-love and sassy empowerment messages, is exactly the pep up Glastonbury needs after a burning hot day.
And Lizzo has more pep and fizz than a Berocca dropped in Prosecco. There’s Shirley Bassey drama as she enters to “Cuz I Love You”, dressed in an incredible PVC lace-up catsuit, and flanked by dancers in pink lamé. The song’s stellar high note, meanwhile, serves as a reminder that she is a singer and rapper with astonishing range. Beyond the high-concept slogans and fun choreography, Lizzo is an artist at the top of her game.
Kate Hutchinson25 June 2023 09:01