The grime heavy-weight says Glasto-goers should “have no fear” and that he will deliver a “headline-calibre performance”

Stormzy has assured those who have criticised him being named as the Friday headliner for this year’s Glastonbury Festival that he’s going to give a “headline-calibre performance”.

The heavy-weight grime icon was confirmed as the first Pyramid Stage headliner for the 2019 festival back in November (2018), causing a typically mixed reaction among many Glasto-goers.

The Shut Up star will make history by becoming the first grime artist to take to top the bill.

In a recent interview to Elle, the rapper said that he is ready for the challenge – driven by both “mad underdog syndrome” and “confidence” while promising to show the world ‘exactly what he’s capable of doing’.

“I feel like I have so much to prove, but at the end of the day, I’m Stormzy – and I’m meant to be here,” said Stormzy. “This is the biggest moment. The biggest stage, the biggest all-eyes-on-me kind of spotlight in my career, ever. But if you are waiting for the headliner to give you the Glastonbury headline-calibre performance, then have no fear, calm down, settle.

“You see how Coldplay or Beyonce or Radiohead treat Glastonbury? It’s just another show; a day in the office – only it’s the biggest fucking day in the office, ever.”

He continued: “I get it. Only one album, where’s all the number ones? But I think the argument doesn’t even deserve the fuel. When 28 June comes, either everyone will be proved right or wrong, but I am the headliner and I will come and give you a headline performance.

“I am looking forward to doing exactly what I know I am capable of doing.”






Glastonbury curator and boss, Emily Eavis, addressed the decision to have Stormzy headlining, describing his previous set on Worthy Farm as “one of the greatest performances I have ever seen on The Other Stage”.

“I came up with [the idea] because I watched him on The Other Stage in 2017 and I was just like, ‘he could headline’…sometimes, you just see that performance what makes you think ‘he is ready to go’, sometimes it happens [like that],” said Eavis. “I just felt like this is the time for Stormzy to headline.”

The award-winning grime and hip-hop artist took to the Other Stage at last year’s Glastonbury Festival, for what not only turned out to be a fantastic performance.

Stormzy’s 2017 performance made headlines not only for it being packed to the rafters but also for featuring an impassioned and heartfelt speech about the Grenfell fire. Not to mention creating the largest moshpit in Glastonbury history, while concluding his performance with ‘Shut Up’ which turned into a delirious singalong.

The Croydon icons’ appointment to Worthy Farm’s legendary Pyramid Stage will mark a strong global platform for the grime genre as a whole, and comes ahead of Stormzy’s anticipated second studio album, expected early-2019.

Joining Stormzy will be Janelle Monae who is confirmed to headline the West Holts Stage, and Kylie Minogue who’ll be taking the Sunday tea-time legends slot on the Pyramid Stage.

Although the main line-up announcement is set to be made only in April, you can check out the latest Glastonbury 2019 line-up rumours (not necessarily likely) HERE.

Glastonbury 2019 will take place between June 26 and 30 at Worthy Farm, Pilton.

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