Having a bit of spare room can be difficult to come by at Glastonbury. The crown jewel of the British festival season is often a tightly-packed affair, as Sugababe’s essential West Holts Stage lock-in on Friday alone could attest. Yet here we were, Sunday night headliner in view, with not only enough space to fling a coat but to grab another pint and return to the exact same spot near the front (hardly any complaints in that regard).
SZA is an undeniable star. The songstress has immense streaming numbers, a record-breaking sophomore album to her name and a voice as heavenly as they come, but here the crowd didn’t all flock at once – especially for a closing set from the festival’s main stage. Her headline status this year was a gamble and, in part, a response to the criticism levelled at Glasto last year, when headliners consisted of the male, pale trio of Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses and Elton John – a “pipeline” problem, Glastonbury co-organiser Emily Eavis said at the time.
Judging from the crowd size, you might be inclined to think the risk hadn’t paid off; that despite SZA’s mega numbers, she was simply too contemporary, too unknown in some quarters, to warrant a spot on the most coveted stage of all.
But size doesn’t always matter. And perhaps more at play here was the festival’s eclecticism drawing people to very different artists who clashed, such as the dour rock of The National on the Other Stage, or the electronic-infused compositions of James Blake in Woodsies. (In any case, I seem to recall it only being a certain former US President with any concern for crowd sizes).
SZA’s was essentially a performance of three parts, as she traversed from an underground subterranean landscape, to a futuristic cyborg realm and concluded in a mythical, fairylike world. Production here was of the highest calibre.
Beginning with the moody strains of ‘PSA’, SZA’s vocals shimmered and shined, in a set that showcased the breadth of her artistry, from sultry RnB and G-funk infusions – with a nod to The Notorious B.I.G’s ‘Juicy’ and ‘Big Poppa’ early on, weaved into ‘Go Gina’ – to stripped-back balladic confessionals.
‘Broken Clocks’ and ‘Garden (Say It Like Dat’), from 2017’s Ctrl LP, retained their dreamlike intimacy, even on the big stage, whilst the raw, pop-punk flair of ‘F2F’ ignited a surge of energy in the crowd and typified the Gen-Z appeal for SZA, with such lyrics as “I fuck him ‘cause I miss you” being belted from the young audience.
Despite some evident mic issues, the performance was a feat of theatrical ingenuity. At one point sat atop a giant beetle, at another giving a lap dance to a robot, before singing her smash hit ‘Kill Bill’ (an immensely popular track on TikTok), SZA never let the choreographed aspects impact her vocals. This was most notable when she ascended a massive tree trunk in fairy wings before singing the vocally complex ‘Nobody Gets Me’ from a sedentary position.
Purists among the Glastonbury faithful will have noted the lack of crowd interaction, with SZA refraining from giving a “hello, Glastonbury”, and instead telling us only briefly near the end of her set that she was “so nervous to be here” – which was understandable given the online derision from some at her headline status.
Equally, fans would have been eager for a surprise guest or two, to induce some thrill to weary energy levels on the festival’s final night. Although it was always unlikely for Kendrick Lamar to reappear, two years on from his own sublime headline Glasto set, neither Doja Cat nor Phoebe Bridgers emerged either for their collab tracks ‘Kiss Me More’ or ‘Ghost in the Machine’, respectively.
And whilst it certainly wasn’t the feast of features given by Paul McCartney a couple of years ago (who brought out Dave Grohl and Bruce Springsteen), SZA had enough star power to pull off a solo venture. And when she was good, she was extraordinary. Tracks like ‘I Hate U’ and ‘Supermodel’ showcased her lyrical vulnerability, while the exuberance of Drake track ‘Rich Baby Daddy’ reminded us of her playful side.
In many ways, SZA’s headline set was a microcosm of her artistry: complex, layered, and occasionally uneven, but always authentic. It may not have been the raucous, unifying climax some hoped for, but it was a bold and deeply personal statement. For Glastonbury, it represented a willingness to embrace new voices, even when the risk doesn’t guarantee immediate rewards.
As the final notes of acoustic number ‘20 Something’ faded into the night, it was clear SZA had achieved something remarkable. This wasn’t a show that pandered to the masses or relied on cheap spectacle. Instead, it invited the audience to lean in, to listen, and to connect – and for those who did, the rewards were ample.
