Charli XCX will take her Brat show to Glastonbury but she’s not a 2025 Pyramid Stage headliner despite the huge speculation.
Glastonbury fans concerned about crowd situation for Charli XCX
Hot off the back of five Brit Awards and three Grammy wins, the Apple hitmaker will be at Worthy Farm this year.
Her album was a cultural phenomenon, so it makes sense that the 32-year-old star would be high up on the Glastonbury organisers’ wishlist.
As confirmed on Nick Grimshaw and Annie Mac’s Sidetracked podcast, Charli will headline the Other Stage on Saturday night – along with Loyle Carner and The Prodigy on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
She’s on at the same time as previously confirmed Neil Young, making it quite a stark difference between the two performances.
However, this has left fans concerned about how busy the smaller stage could become as it’s anticipated huge numbers will flock to see Charli.
Last year, the Other Stage heaved with over 60,000 fans for Avril Lavigne’s late afternoon set, meanwhile, Charli herself closed down Levels due to the crowd.
‘Brat was out before Glastonbury last year, but she chose to do the DJ set,’ shared Nick.
He continued: ‘I’ve never seen anything like it in terms of how packed the field was. They closed the whole area. I would have thought Charli would have been on the Pyramid Stage.’
This is something fans have already taken to social media to express concern about, with some branding it ‘dangerous’.
Marc wrote: ‘I acc can’t believe they put Neil Young as a headliner when Charli XCX was not only right there but already headlining another stage at the same festival. Genuinely dangerous from a crowd management perspective to have her on a stage that small.’
Wozza said: ‘Charli XCX on Other Stage, whilst Neil Young is on Pyramid is the worst Glastonbury scheduling decision since… well, SZA on main, Wet Leg on Park or PSB on Other. Will be absolute carnage (and not in a good way).’
Jordan added: ‘Charli XCX headlining the Other Stage whilst Neil Young headlines the Pyramid feels like a huge failure in crowd control scheduling.’
Crowd control is a massive issue for any festival, with Glastonbury having to close at least one stage every year due to high demand.
In a statement to Metro, Glastonbury Festival said: ‘As always, Glastonbury will have a robust, dynamic crowd management plan in place to protect the safety of its crowds, working closely with all the relevant authorities – this includes putting measures in place both in anticipation of and in response to crowd volumes and movements.’
While fans might think Charli’s crowd size is more suited to the Pyramid Stage, Nick and Annie offered some explanation as to why she may have chosen the Other Stage.
‘[For] BBC television what her Brat show actually is and how minimal it is, that might not translate onto the Pyramid Stage,’ said Annie.
‘Who says she won’t actually put something bespoke? Bring someone on… but maybe she doesn’t want to.’
The legendary DJ did add that she ‘personally’ thinks Charli should have been on the Pyramid Stage but acknowledged that Glastonbury is a ‘massive jigsaw’.
She continued: ‘These headliners could have been in for ages. It makes so much sense for her to counteract Neil Young on the Saturday night. Traditionally, Other Stage is more home for electronic music. It makes sense on a rave element for it to be that side.’
Nick declared he preferred for Charli to take the Other Stage, with Annie voicing a similar concern for ‘crowds’ and ‘whether it will work’.
One compelling reason put forward by the co-hosts was that Charli’s set is a strobe-heavy rave, needing darkness to work on a production level.
This would mean putting her earlier on the Pyramid line up, and with the sun not setting until after 9pm, that wouldn’t be ideal for her set.
One of the only stages which balances the likely crowd demand and the timing slot needed is The Other Stage.