FEATURE:
All Things Being Well…
IN THIS PHOTO: Billie Eilish
Who Might Headline Glastonbury 2022 Alongside Billie Eilish?
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I think there will be an announcement this month…
regarding other headline acts for this year’s Glastonbury Festival. The event has been postponed the past couple of years. The fiftieth anniversary festival was due to take place in 2020. It is such a shame that such an important anniversary was cancelled. Hopefully, all being well, Glastonbury 2022 will take place. There may need to be stricter measures, but I do feel we will get the Glastonbury Festival after two years of nothing. It will be such a relief for those who have tickets and will be attending! At the moment, one headliner has been confirmed. Billie Eilish, at only twenty, is the youngest person to headline the festival. Her incredible second studio album, Happier Than Ever, was released last year. As this article explains, there have been no other confirmed headliners (Diana Ross is an artist who has also been booked to play Glastonbury in the Legends slot):
“Glastonbury Festival is planned to finally return to Somerset in 2022.
The world-famous music event was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021 due to government-enforced coronavirus restrictions.
However, it is planned that the huge event, which welcomes more than 200,000 people to Pilton, will be back in June next year.
Despite many swirling rumours as to who will take to the stage at Worthy Farm, only two acts have been officially confirmed by the festival so far.
In October, it was revealed that Billie Eilish, 19, will headline the Pyramid Stage on the Friday night of the festival next summer.
The musician will be the youngest-ever headline act at Glastonbury Festival.
The American singer-songwriter has seen a dramatic rise to fame after her 2015 debut single success, Ocean Eyes, took the world by storm.
Since then, the teenager has gone on to achieve a chart-topping debut album in the UK, alongside seven Grammy Awards, two Brit awards and many other major music accolades.
Co-organiser of Glastonbury Festival, Emily Eavis, said: "We couldn’t be happier to announce that the wondrous Billie Eilish is headlining the Pyramid on the Friday at next year's Glastonbury Festival, becoming the youngest solo headliner in our history.
"This feels like the perfect way for us to return and I cannot wait!”.
IN THIS PHOTO: Little Simz
Taking place between 22nd and 26th June at Worthy Farm, organisers Emily and Michael Eavis have not been able to get too ahead of themselves regarding headliners this year. Assuming there are no lockdowns and restrictions, the festival can go ahead. I shouldn’t imagine there will be any last-minute announcements that would squash Glastonbury for a third consecutive year. 2020 was going to be the year when Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar were going to headline. I can understand that, as she has released a new album recently, Billie Eilish was booked. She appeared at Glastonbury back in 2019 and was a huge fan favourite. Her headline set will be historic and iconic! I think many people would like to see another woman headline. Dua Lipa is someone who has built a lot of momentum since the release of Future Nostalgia in 2020. I would not be shocked to see her booked. Paul McCartney did release an album in 2020, McCartney III, and there has been so much talk and excitement after the documentary-film, The Beatles: Get Back. I am not sure as to whether Taylor Swift or Kendrick Lamar will be re-invited to headline this year. I think that there is definite and deserved hype around Little Simz and how she continues to bring out music of the highest order. I think that she would be a wonderful headliner. Her Sometimes I Might Be Introvert album has been hailed as one of the best of last year. In terms of young female artists who could join Eilish on stage, one could look at Charli XCX as a potential booking. How I'm Feeling Now was one of 2020’s best albums. I feel she could command the Pyramid Stage.
IN THIS PHOTO: Adele
Last year – like the past four of five years – saw the very best albums made by women. Given the enormous success of her latest album, 30, surely Adele is among the front-runners to headline!? The same could be said of Self Esteem (Rebecca Lucy Taylor) after Prioritise Pleasure was crowned the best album of 2021 by so many sources and sites. Based on albums from last year, I would say that Wolf Alice, St. Vincent and Lana Del Rey are outside bets. The same goes for IDLES. Maybe Taylor Swift will get a re-invite, but it might be the case that only one woman will headline this year (as Glastonbury, historically, has rarely booked more than one woman to headline a single year). Although I think that eighteen-year-old Olivia Rodrigo will get a slot at Glasto, maybe she is not headline-ready yet – even though her debut album, SOUR, was among last year’s very best. In terms of diversity, Glastonbury has definitely expanded in terms of headliners. Once was the time most of the headliners were Rock or Pop acts. Now, there are no barriers. Maybe a Grime/Rap artist like Dave could headline? His second studio album, We're All Alone in This Together, gained huge reviews last year. Even though Glastonbury has legendary artists playing, might one make it as a headliner this year?
IN THIS PHOTO: Arctic Monkeys
Two rumoured acts who could be headliners are Elton John and Arctic Monkeys. The former’s much-delayed final tour, Farewell Yellow Brick Road, is not taking place until next year. There is every chance that the legend will have space and time to play at Glastonbury. I feel that he would provide a great set and, contrasting that with the music of Billie Eilish, it does mean that there is that variety. How about Billie Eilish, Little Simz and Elton John as the three headliners?! That would be something! Arctic Monkeys are rumoured to be coming back with a new album this year. The Sheffield band would deliver a barnstorming set! A lot of people associate festival headliners with bands, so having all-solo headliners might disappoint. Of all the bands that would prove a very popular Glasto headliners, Arctic Monkeys have to be up there. Thinking about albums arriving this year – and artists tying in the release with some Glastonbury exposure -, maybe Jack White is a possible headliner? He releases two albums this year: Fear of the Dawn and Entering Heaven Alive. The former album is coming out on 8th April. With The White Stripes, he played Glastonbury in 2005. He would be another amazing artist to consider. The other act I was thinking of is Beyoncé. She did headline in 2011 but, as that was a long time ago and there is an album coming from her (or at least rumoured) this year, it would be a perfect chance for her to set Glastonbury alight! I am not sure when the official announcements take place regarding the remaining two headliners. Though, whoever gets the illustrious spots, are going to face such an excited and hungry crowd! After this enforced break, the appetite for Glastonbury and all it has to offer will be immense! We will keep our ears and eyes open to see who will be…
JOINING Billie Eilish.