THE ladies are set to rule the roost at Glastonbury 2025 — despite only one being announced as a Pyramid Stage headliner.
THE 1975 and Neil Young were officially announced as headliners when the line-up was released yesterday, although you already knew that as I revealed that in Bizarre months ago.
Hotshot American rapper Doechii, who wore a black leotard while out at Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday[/caption]
Charli XCX’s ascent to major pop star will be cemented when the five-time Brit winner headlines the Other Stage[/caption]
But American youngster Olivia Rodrigo has been entrusted with closing the festival — three years after she delivered the knockout set of the 2022 event when she was joined on the Other Stage by Lily Allen.
Having first performed at Glasto in 2014, Charli XCX’s ascent to major pop star will be cemented when the five-time Brit winner headlines the Other Stage on the Saturday night — putting her head-to-head with Neil Young.
And at the same time will be hotshot American rapper Doechii, who wore a black leotard while out at Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday night, who will headline the West Holts Stage.
But to make it an even tougher call about what to see, Raye will be performing on the Pyramid Stage directly before Neil, so we will be spoilt for choice.
Jade, who wore this chic red outfit in Paris yesterday, will also become the first member of Little Mix to ever perform at the Somerset extravaganza.
Those close to Jade were ecstatic about the booking, which comes off the back of her Pop Act win at The Brit Awards.
“This is a huge moment for Jade and she can’t wait to get on stage at Worthy Farm,” a pal told me.
“She has been making waves as a solo artist and this is the next exciting step for her.”
Jorja Smith, Alanis Morissette and Wet Leg will provide even more girl power.
And things will be as eclectic as ever, with everyone from hip hop royalty Busta Rhymes to jazz group Ezra Collective, and from disco legends Nile Rodgers & Chic to Nineties electronic dance band The Prodigy, who I last watched in concert at Leeds University when I was a very drunk student.
And of course, anyone who doesn’t have a ticket will be able to watch all the action on the BBC — and get all of the gossip in Bizarre.
The announcement has also put paid to criticism in recent years that the line-up is too old and crusty, with other brilliant gen-Z acts including Lola Young, Myles Smith and Gracie Abrams due to play.
Lola and Myles both blew me away at The Brits, and the thought of hearing Lola’s Messy and his brilliant Stargazing and Wait For You in the sun with thousands of other people has really got me excited.
The festival will also cement Charli XCX and her fiancé, The 1975 drummer George Daniel, as one of the ultimate music power couples.
Matty Healy’s band The 1975 will be a headline act[/caption]
They will both be there smashing it, and they won’t be alone.
Charli is best pals with The 1975 frontman Matty Healy‘s fiancée, model Gabbriette Bechtel, so I’m sure they’ll be partying there.
But I have a feeling they might end up being overshadowed by another special woman in Matty’s life.
His Loose Women star mum Denise Welch made her intentions to make the trip down to Worthy Farm clear.
Yesterday, she posted on Instagram: “Look who’s headlining on the Friday!!! Popping out to buy some wellies.”
I’m keeping my fingers crossed I bump into her partying at 4am in Shangri-La.
And, knowing Denise, I don’t doubt she’ll be there kicking up her best with the other revellers.
Ellie’s top 5 to watch
ROD STEWART: I’m anticipating tartan everything and footballs flying when Rod performs on Sunday afternoon. His legend’s slot will be packed to the rafters and there is nothing better than hearing 200,000-odd people singing the same songs as you.
MYLES SMITH: He won The Brit Awards Rising Star gong at the weekend and I was mesmerised by Myles. I expect his set to be huge, just like Tom Grennan’s was on the Other Stage back in 2023.
CHARLI XCX: Brat Summer is going to be everywhere at Glastonbury and I know the dress code is going to be old-school Indie Sleaze in her honour. She will be really letting loose on the farm and I think it’ll be a show to remember – or forget depending on how many lagers we drink.
THE PRODIGY: I can’t think of a better closing act for the Other Stage and I can guarantee ravers old and new will be going nuts to this at Worthy Farm and at home. It’ll be an emotional one too, as its their first show at Glastonbury since Keith Flint’s death in 2019.
AJ TRACEY: It was the moment three years ago that made Alex from Glasto a household name for a week, when he jumped up on stage and smashed Thiago Silva. AJ has only gotten bigger and better since this viral moment and I’m expecting this performance to be huge.
Legend Kylie banks £5.5k every day
Singer Kylie Minogue made £5,561 per day last year[/caption]
KYLIE MINOGUE is proof of what a brilliant Glastonbury performance can do for your career – and bank balance.
She played a stonking set in the Sunday afternoon legends slot in 2019 and is rolling in it, as I can reveal she made £5,561 per day last year.
The Padam Padam singer has lodged her pop earnings at Companies House for the year ending June 30, 2024, and they show that her firm Darenote made a £2million profit.
And it looks like this year will be even more lucrative as she has just kicked off her Tension tour, her biggest global jaunt for over a decade.
Other stars to have delivered knockout Legends sets at Glasto include Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Shania Twain and Barry Gibb.
Those are big shoes to fill, but I know Sir Rod Stewart has the stage presence and hits to knock it out of the park this year.
HEADLINER Neil Young will get fans warmed up for his set by releasing a documentary that follows him on his latest tour.
The film, called Coastal and made by actress wife Daryl Hannah, offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the rock legend.
He is seen on his tour bus and backstage, as well as during gigs in the US.
It is coming to cinemas for one night only on April 17, with tickets on sale now at coastalthemovie.com.
Sam’s reborn in USA
Singer-songwriter Sam Ryder has now left Britain for the US[/caption]
HE represented the UK at Eurovision in 2022, but Sam Ryder has now left Britain for the US.
The singer-songwriter has revealed he relocated to Nashville, Tennessee last year to work his second studio album and and now has a home there.
Sam played one of the new tracks, called White Lies, during an intimate gig at The George Tavern in East London on Wednesday.
On stage, Sam said: “This is the first song I wrote in Nashville.
“I recently just moved to a town in east Nashville so I’m splitting my time between there and the UK.
“It has been a dream of mine for 12 years.
“I’ve got some amazing, dear friends in the music world, writers, who I always wanted to work with.
“And so it’s so lovely to have roots down in that spot.
“But it doesn’t mean I don’t know where my home is.”
He admitted feeling a bit under the weather at the show – not that you could tell – and said it was because he had been at Universal Music’s Brit Awards afterparty, which is the same bash where McFLY’s Danny Jones shared a kiss with reality beauty Maura Higgins.
Recalling a chat in the noisy room, he said: “There was one moment where I was talking to someone and her entire nose went in my ear, just chatting loud.
“It sort of docked inside my ear… Needless to say, I’ve got whatever she had.
“There was nothing unfaithful about it.
“I was at the Universal party, but no.”
Gaga is back to dark roots
Lady Gaga has returned to the dark pop roots which made her a star[/caption]
Lady Gaga – Mayhem
★★★★★
“YOU make me money, I’ll make you laugh,” Gaga boldly declares on her angry pop/rock track Perfect Celebrity.
And, boy, is she right.
For almost two decades she’s entertained us, and with Mayhem, Gaga has returned to the dark pop roots which made her a star – and she’s unapologetic about it.
It has hard-hitting beats and frankly odd lyrics from the get-go.
“The girls are scared of you. A legend in your neighbourhood. Last week you left someone for dead. It’s all misunderstood,” she sings on The Beast.
On a personal level, I was a spotty closeted 15-year-old when The Fame came out, blasting Mother Monster in my bedroom, dancing away with posters of her on the wall.
Within seconds of listening to Mayhem, it took me back there in the best way.
But this album isn’t just nostalgia.
Gaga has developed.
It’s her sound but at no point does it feel dated.
Standouts include Garden Of Eden, LoveDrug, Shadow Of A Man and The Beast.
From start to finish, Mayhem is just that – and an almost exhausting listen.
But in all the madness, Gaga may have created her best record since her debut.
By Jack Hardwick
