Glastonbury Organizer Blames “Pipeline” Drawback for No Feminine Headliners

Arctic Monkeys, Gun N’ Roses, and Elton John are headlining the 2023 Glastonbury Music Pageant, signifying a extra legacy targeted – and really male — course for the enduring British occasion. And whereas calls have intensified in recent times for music festivals and awards reveals to diversify their payments, Glastonbury co-organizer Emily Eavis says a “pipeline” drawback throughout the trade is responsible for not creating headline-worthy ladies artists.

Talking to The Guardian, Eavis insisted that range of all identities was an enormous Glastonbury focus, noting that 46% of the lineup options individuals of coloration (48% of the names on the invoice are ladies). “We’re making an attempt our greatest so the pipeline must be developed,” Eavis stated. “This begins means again with the report corporations, radio. I can shout as loud as I like however we have to get everybody on board.”

After all, Lizzo — who’s performing proper earlier than Weapons N’ Roses on Saturday, June twenty fourth — undoubtedly has the star energy to headline, however the band was confirmed to play the competition earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic even started. “She may completely headline,” Eavis stated of Lizzo. “Most of the artists may. However the headline slot had already been promised to another person.”

Reserving Weapons N’ Roses within the first place got here after a girl artist set to headline “modified her touring plans,” Eavis stated. She didn’t reveal the musician in query, however Taylor Swift was attributable to carry out on the canceled 2020 installment of the competition, and her upcoming “The Eras Tour” contains dates by means of Glastonbury.

Subsequent yr, Eavis says, two ladies will headline Glastonbury, marking each artists’ first time on the competition. Nonetheless, Blondie, Carly Rae Jepsen, CHVRCHES, Kelis, Lana Del Rey, Maggie Rogers, Rina Sawayama, The Chicks, Warpaint, and Weyes Blood are among the many ladies performing this yr, and several other of them have headlined a competition earlier than.

Set for June twenty first to twenty fifth, Glastonbury’s preliminary 2023 lineup announcement options 54 artists, whereas extra names can be introduced at a later date. Take a look at the lineup poster beneath.