Lorde, The 1975, Lewis Capaldi

“This may be a one-of-one [performance], you know,” teased Lorde minutes into her not-so-secret set at Woodsies, which took place mere hours after the release of new album Virgin. The star proceeded to tear through her stunning fourth LP in full, writhing across the stage floor during “Man of the Year” and maintaining a superstar steeliness during the pummeling, relentlessly upbeat “What Was That.” The energy was matched by a tent packed full of fans, hitting a peak of delirious communion when she closed with a one-two punch of “Ribs” and “Green Light.” Her opening words certainly rang true: Lorde kicked off Glastonbury 2025 with verve and bravura, filled with precisely measured emotional beats.

Glastonbury’s 1995 edition went down in history: Pulp headlined, Oasis featured on the bill, and Massive Attack roared to the top. Supergrass were there, too, just after the release of their beloved debut album I Should Coco. Gaz Coombes reminisced about the day during their set, promising the crowd that they would (almost) be playing the album in full. Between “Alright,” “Pumping on Your Stereo” and “Moving,” their set made for a healthy dollop of nostalgia to kickstart the Pyramid Stage, just like the good old days.

A pre-ordained “Glastonbury Moment” – when an artist’s set pushes their career to the next step – can be a millstone around a rising star’s neck. Not for CMAT. The Irish country-pop star’s “Take a Sexy Picture of Me” has inspired a viral moment and a TikTok dance and is now enjoying a streaming spike. Her set on the Pyramid was more well-rounded than just a one-hit wonder, showcasing her vocal range, emotional depth and wicked sense of humour throughout. Cometh the hour, cometh the woman. You sense this won’t be the final time she’s seen on the festival’s biggest stage.

Watching Lola Young step into her power has felt like nothing short of a quiet miracle. Over the past half-decade, the south London singer has grafted tirelessly toward the cusp of stardom – a position she cemented on the Woodsies stage on Friday evening, performing to a crowd that spilled out into the adjoining Tree Stage. She lifted her material with force of feeling, equally at ease delivering a lacerating growl throughout “Conceited” or many a mischievous pop melody. Her unwavering smile throughout “One Thing” spoke to the song’s genesis as an anthem of sleek self-possession; in the moment, Young was an artist truly – and finally – at the top of her game.

Talk about a glow up. Last time Wet Leg descended upon Worthy Farm in 2022, the Isle of Wight band played to a giddily oversubscribed Park Stage. Offering small, bashful smiles, they delivered tracks from their self-titled LP at a mile a minute, sprinting through their set in order to avert the spotlight.

Taking to The Other Stage on Saturday (June 27), it was clear from the jump that this is a band renewed: beaming and energised, their confidence having increased tenfold. Lead singer Rhian Teasdale attacked ad-libs with vigour during “Ur Mum,” before letting out a scream mighty enough to be heard beyond these fields. During a sprightly “Supermarket,” the camera panned to a young fan donning an “I Love Wet Leg” cap; if the size of the crowd behind her was anything to go by, she was far from alone in her adoration.

During his last appearance at Glastonbury in 2023, Lewis Capaldi suffered from a vocal strain injury and called on the crowd to finish his set when he was unable to. It was the last show he played for two years as he took time out of the limelight to preserve his mental health. His return to the Pyramid Stage on Friday is likely to be the weekend’s most emotional moment as he told the packed-out crowd that getting back to Worthy Farm was a “f–king goal of mine.” 

Initially billed as a ‘TBA,’ Capaldi played seven songs including “Someone You Love,” the song where his voice gave out previously. “It’s just a short set today and to finish what I couldn’t finish the first time. Thank you Glastonbury for having me back,” he said, choking up. It was good to see you, Lewis.

One of the chief joys of PinkPantheress is her witty freshness. Over the course of an hour at Woodsies, she threw a wild, blown-out pop extravaganza, complete with a tap dancer, a beatboxer and a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance from noughties hero Just Jack for “Starz.” All of this was served with a tongue-in-cheek, cheerleader-like wholesomeness: after “Picture In My Mind,” Pink quipped about her evolution from bedroom-produced tracks to making “real pop music,” before hyping up her taut brass backing band and violinist. The 24-year-old was once infamous for being a rather hesitant performer; during this swaggering set, her style and substance felt defiantly equal.

“After 23 years, how did we get here?,” asked The 1975’s Matty Healy, as cigarette plumes floated off behind him. It’s a question that formed the backbone of the band’s Glastonbury headline slot, even from the moment it was announced. With no new material to hand – and a flurry of controversies in recent years – it would take an all-conquering set to silence the doubters. And that they offered: with an indisputable catalogue at their disposal, bursts of lush, searching pop were scuffed up by Healy’s raw, expressive voice, which remains so distinctive that wherever the set ventured musically, it remained potent and commanding. Here on Worthy Farm, sparks flew for a generational act. 

On The Other Stage, the London rapper acknowledged that this was the biggest gig of his career, a culmination of a decade as a recording musician. Even more special that his children, the muses for his new album hopefully !, were side of stage witnessing their father at his peak as an artist.

Old friends Sampha and Jorja Smith joined the festivities, adding to the lo-fi but heartfelt atmosphere that prioritised human emotion and connectivity. “About Time,” a touching ode to the qualities he wants his son to inherit from him, was a tear-jerker.