R&B/Soul
Why Olivia Dean should headline Glastonbury 2027 after Radio 1 Big Weekend masterclass
The Man I Need chart-topper’s firework-filled finale followed stellar performances by CMAT, Niall Horan, Kehlani and Myles Smith.
Oozing class and effortless charisma, Olivia Dean’s finale to BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Sunderland was exceptional.
Having last performed at the festival in 2023 (in Cardiff), the chart-topping star’s return as headliner felt particularly poignant.
From start to finish, the singalongs kept coming, the likes of Dive and Nice To Each Other uniting everyone at Herrington Country Park.
Glowing under a spinning disco ball, Dean and her similarly exceptional band made a show for tens of thousands feel strikingly intimate.
Beaming as she moved across the stage, Dean not only showcased her stunning vocals but just how many huge hits she has to her name.
What’s also notable is just how wide-ranging her audience is - a real mix of ages, her retro-made-cool soul-pop bridges the gap between generations.
By the time fireworks soared into the skies during a closing Man I Need, it was abundantly clear that Dean was always destined to play stages the size of this one.
In fact, we wouldn’t bet against her headlining Glastonbury when it returns next year.
It was a great ending to a gloriously sunny Sunday (244.05.26) that saw some of the biggest names in music deliver standout sets.
Things kicked off at lunchtime with Niall Horan playing his first full show since 2024: visibly loving every minute, his fan-pleasing set veered from early solo smash Slow Hands to recent hits from his upcoming album Dinner Party. He reappeared later, too, joining Myles Smith to perform their collaboration Drive Safe.
Proving that Radio 1’s Big Weekend is among the most genre-diverse festivals in the UK, two-time GRAMMY-nominated R'n'B icon Kehlani brought vocal runs, riffs and a whole lot of choreography to the North East.
It was a total contrast to the penultimate act on the main stage, Irish extrovert CMAT, who gave her all to every aspect of her performance which was equal parts theatrical, hilarious and life-affirming.
