Dua Lipa hits all the right notes at Glastonbury FR24 News English

Dua Lipa didn’t come to mess around.

The pop star burst into her first ever Glastonbury headline show with an ambitious and dynamic performance that was jam-packed with hits from start to finish.

She took to the Pyramid Stage shortly after 10 p.m., opening with a flawless five-song set: Training Season, One Kiss, Illusion, Break My Heart and Levitating.

Each of them had the breathtaking choreography of an awards ceremony – and the pace didn’t slow down all evening.

She performed 15 top 40 hits, including Don’t Start Now, Physical and New Rules, as well as her collaborations with Elton John (Cold Heart) and Mark Ronson (Electricity).

Oddly, however, she opted not to perform her Barbie Dance The Night smash, which was captured in a video interlude during one of the star’s five costume changes.

Her raspy mezzo-soprano cut cleanly through the warm Somerset air, particularly on the dramatic ballad Happy For You, and on the purring, sultry Houdini, which closed her set.

The 28-year-old even paid tribute to Shakespeare’s sister, one of Glastonbury’s first female headliners in 1992, wearing a t-shirt bearing the cover of their album Hormonally Yours.

On stage, she spoke repeatedly about how she manifested this very moment, having dreamed of headlining Glastonbury before she had even recorded her debut album.

“I wrote this moment, I wished for it, I dreamed it and I worked really hard,” she told the crowd.

She remembers one of her first concerts, in front of 10 people who “only came because we gave them free drinks” – and seemed overwhelmed by the increase in this audience.

Nearly 100,000 people watched her play, with fans stretching as far as Rowmead, an area that was once reserved for campers but was opened in 2024 to allow more people access to the Pyramid Stage.

“That’s a lot, isn’t it?” A lot to take in,” Lipa said.

“Little me would just be beside herself right now. »

It was a small moment of vulnerability in a crowded setting. No song was left unfinished, no vocals were left unharmonized, no hair was ruffled. Dua hit every target with the precision of someone who had been preparing for this moment for years.

But if this sounds clinical and sterile, it’s not.

Take the moment she ran towards the barriers to join the crowd as they sang her debut hit Be The One.

It wasn’t entirely spontaneous (in fact, it was a nod to a moment from her last performance at Glastonbury in 2017), but the joy on the star’s face as she scaled the barriers and stood in front of her fans was genuine.

Shortly after, she invited Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker – a collaborator on her new album Radical Optimism – to sing the band’s song The Less I Know The Better.

Freed from the iron grip of choreography, she simply vibrated with him on stage, giving a glimpse of the person behind this tightly controlled public persona.

“Tonight I can act like I’m in Tame Impala,” she beamed.

If there was one criticism of his set, it was that such moments were rare.

The show sometimes seemed aimed as much at the global television audience as at the people in front of it, and the aerobic dance routines – while undoubtedly impressive – didn’t allow for much spontaneity.

But public attention never wavered. Even the lesser-known new tracks were expertly sequenced, so you were never more than 3 minutes away from a certified hit.

All songs have received a sonic overhaul – adding sounds from the 90s rave scene or beefing up its beats with trunk-rumbling sub-bass.

His hit single, New Rules, was even combined with festival staple Glue, by Northern Irish dance group Bicep.

The result was a show that resembled the VIP room of a dark European nightclub, but on a gigantic scale.

Even the outfits were designed to complement the club’s theme, with Dua’s fashion choices blending in with those of her dancers (rather than standing out) – from a chunky studded belt to red and black slub hot pants.

Notably, she also wore flats to make dancing easier, reinforcing the feeling that we were joining her at a party, rather than watching an untouchable pop icon.

With fireworks and confetti throughout the concert, it felt like she was claiming Glastonbury immortality. And, watching from the front row, she more than succeeded.

This weekend’s other headliners – including five-time headliners Coldplay – have their work cut out to live up to its ambition.

Other sets on Saturday came from dance collective Jungle, rock band Idles and Jamie xx – who sold out the Woodsies tent and rewarded fans by reuniting with bandmates Romy and Oliver from The xx for a soulful performance of You’ve Got The Love.

He was also joined on stage by Swedish pop star Robyn, performing their new collaboration Life.

Surprise guests were the order of the day, in fact.

Anne-Marie introduced Aitch to The Other Stage to perform Psycho, and Bombay Bicycle Club were joined by Damon Albarn to perform Blur’s Tender and Heaven – which featured on Bombay Bicycle Club’s 2023 album My Big Day.

Dance star Fred Again appeared at the Stonebridge Bar, causing chaos as thousands of fans tried to cram into one of the festival’s smaller venues.

Similar chaotic scenes took place on the West Holts stage earlier in the evening as the Sugababes brought the pitch to a standstill.

Organizers had to adopt a “one-in-one-out” policy – ​​reminiscent of the group’s last performance, which closed Avalon Field in 2022.

Elsewhere, Irish band Fontaines DC delivered a darkly beautiful track on The Park Stage.

“Do you want to go on vacation? asked singer Grian Chatten, pacing the stage in a skirt as he played hits like Boys in the Better Land and Rolling Stone magazine’s single of the year, Starburster.

It was perhaps less visceral than the band’s last appearance at Glastonbury two years ago, but the result was a more polished sound and a richer vocal performance from Chatten.

On the Pyramid Stage, Dua Lipa was preceded by indie disco punks LCD Soundsystem, who made a surprisingly perfect duo for the sunset.

The New Yorkers delved into their more emotional material – Home, I Can Change, Someone Great – before closing with a euphoric All My Friends.

The die-hard fans in front of the audience were transported back 20 years to the band’s heyday, while the younger aficionados were simply in awe of their longevity.

“Imagine how many parties they’ve been to,” one said. “Imagine how many drugs they’ve taken.”