Glastonbury: Dua Lipa to 'throw a party' on the Pyramid Stage
Glastonbury Prepares For Dua Lipa's Headline Show
Dua Lipa's last performance at Glastonbury was in 2017, which was before her hit single New Rules gained popularity.
Following two days of anticipation, the Glastonbury Festival officially began on Friday with the first day of music performances on the main stages.
Experienced group Squeeze started off the show on the Pyramid Stage at lunchtime, performing popular songs like Hourglass, Up The Junction, and Pulling Mussels at a fast pace.
"This is the essence of Glastonbury - happy faces," stated lead singer Glenn Tillbrook.
The famous singer Dua Lipa will kick off the first night of the event and is set to perform popular disco-pop songs such as New Rules, Don’t Start Now, One Kiss, Levitating, and Houdini.
"I need to come up with a plan to create the vibe of a cozy club for 150,000 people," she told the BBC earlier this year.
"That's what we're aiming for, and if there's one event to make it happen, it definitely has to be Glastonbury."
Supporters assembled to see Squeeze start off the excitement on the Pyramid Stage.
The celebrity has been practicing her performance in Birmingham for the entire week, after doing warm-up shows in Croatia, Germany, and France earlier this month.
During the rehearsals, a TikTok influencer briefly interrupted by trying to film the star, as reported by The Sun. Luckily, they were stopped before getting into the studio.
Real footage from behind the scenes was shared recently by Lipa's friend and designer Guiliano Calza. He posted a short video of her energetic dance routine during Houdini on Instagram.
Lipa's record label boss, Max Lousada, mentioned that the show will feature amazing surprises and unexpected moments.
"She will be the life of the party on Friday night," he informed Variety magazine.
For the very first time, the singer's show at Glastonbury will be shown to viewers outside of the United Kingdom through a live broadcast on BBC.com.
Wake Up Time!
DJ Annie Mac energized the audience at the Other Stage.
The primary performances started on Friday morning, with Peru's Sofia Kourtesis being the first to take the stage at the West Holts arena.
Spinning gracefully on the stage in a long, white gown, she energized the audience with a lively and upbeat performance of tropical house music at 11:00 AM BST.
She expressed to the crowd how much of a significant aspiration this is for someone coming from South America. She expressed gratitude for having such strong support from everyone.
Not long after that, Chief Raoni, an environmental activist from Brazil, gave a passionate speech about the Amazon rainforest at the Other Stage, which is the second-largest area at the festival.
"Politicians are always criticizing our territory," he explained, with the help of a translator.
"They are determined to ruin it all. We must prevent them. Your assistance is needed."
Next up was DJ Annie Mac, who played a collection of upbeat dance songs like That's How The Good Lord Works, Everybody's Free, and a bass-filled remix of Hall & Oates' I Can't Go For That (No Can Do).
"It's time to rouse the campsites!" she chuckled.
The all-female Muslim metal band Voice of Baceprot from Indonesia performed first in the Woodsies tent.
Additionally, other main acts performing throughout the weekend include Coldplay, SZA, and well-known country singer Shania Twain. Twain has expressed her desire to make a grand entrance by riding a horse onto the stage during her performance on Sunday.
However, event planner Emily Eavis mentioned that she had previously rejected that specific request.
"It's not right for the horse because it's overwhelmed," she explained, without specifying who had requested the horse to enter.
Shania Twain joins the ranks of Kylie Minogue, Dolly Parton, and Lionel Richie as she takes on Glastonbury's iconic performance slot.
Glastonbury is the largest music festival in the United Kingdom, featuring over 100 stages to entertain 200,000 attendees throughout the weekend.
Those who arrived early got to witness an amazing drone performance on Wednesday evening. Thursday marked the start of live music on the outer stages, featuring DJ performances by The Orb, MJ Cole, Kurupt FM, and Skream.
The person who helped start the festival, Sir Michael Eavis, was also seen performing on The Park Stage. He sang versions of Frank Sinatra's My Way and Elvis Presley's Suspicious Minds.
The 88-year-old singer, who sang from a wheelchair, was greeted warmly by the audience. They cheered "Michael, we adore you" in between each song.
"Thanks a lot," he replied. "That's amazing, thanks."
Sir Michael Eavis shows up at Glastonbury 2024 for the first time.
In addition to music, people with tickets can also experience poetry, comedy, circus performances, and even try their hand at pottery making.
Health expert Joe Wicks kicked off The Park Stage at 10:00 on Friday with a workout session, while BBC Radio 3 host Georgia Mann helped festival attendees start their day with a classical DJ set in the Crow's Nest.
Beforehand, she expressed, "We aim to break the barriers of classical music and demonstrate that it can be enjoyed outside the confines of a traditional concert hall."
"It can definitely hold its own when compared to reggae, rock, and pop music."
Right after lunch, Seventeen will be the first K-pop group to perform on the Pyramid Stage, alongside Paul Heaton and LCD Soundsystem.
Seventeen band leader, S Coups, mentioned that there is a strong feeling of duty.
"We will continue to focus on that emotion and make sure we are ready to impress, not only our supporters but also everyone in the crowd."
On Wednesday, attendees were treated to an impressive display of drones.
Performance artist Marina Abramovic will also have a moment of silence for peace lasting seven minutes on the Pyramid Stage, just before PJ Harvey's performance at 6:00 PM.
"We have been putting in a lot of effort into this project," stated event coordinator Emily Eavis, keeping most of the details under wraps.
"She will be giving a speech from the Pyramid and has a strategy in mind... but I will let her explain it herself," she informed BBC 6 Music.
This is the first time ever in Glastonbury's history that two women will be headlining the festival.
Eavis expressed that it was a big passion project to have a balanced mix of male and female artists in the line-up. She also mentioned that she was especially happy to give Dua Lipa her first headline slot in the UK.
"We are setting the stage for her to have a special experience. And that is truly thrilling for us."
Dua Lipa performing live in 2017
The last time Lipa performed at Glastonbury was in 2017, during the afternoon at the Woodsies tent. Just a month after that, she dropped the music video for her popular song "New Rules" and her career skyrocketed.
Afterwards, she has won the Brit Award seven times, mostly because of her music in the Future Nostalgia album, which was perfect for dancing in the kitchen during the pandemic.
She was given the top spot in November as she started promoting her third album, Radical Optimism.
"When an opportunity like that arises, you simply cannot turn it down," she explained to the BBC.
Being the main act at the festival was something she had always wanted to do since releasing her debut album in 2018, she explained.
"It's the best place in the world. The feeling of unity, joy, and looking out for each other is simply wonderful."
