Glastonbury has booked one of two female headliners for next year
Both acts would be Glasto first-timers
By Tom Skinner
Glastonbury has already booked one of two female headliners for its 2024 festival, according to co-organiser Emily Eavis.
The first line-up for this year’s event was released last Friday (March 3), with Arctic Monkeys and Guns N’ Roses joining Elton John at the top of the bill.
Speaking to the Guardian, Eavis said the all-male headliners were a result of a “pipeline” problem in the music industry. She also explained that GnR had replaced a female headliner who “changed her touring plans”. Eavis didn’t name the act in question but it is thought to be Taylor Swift, who was scheduled to play the cancelled Glastonbury 2020.
The article notes that Eavis is aiming to secure two female bill-toppers for next year’s event. Both acts would be Glastonbury first-timers, and one has been booked already. As well as Swift, it’s rumoured that Rihanna and Madonna could be scheduled to make their Worthy Farm debuts.
52 per cent of the 54 names on the initial Glasto 2023 poster are male. Eavis told the Guardian that she remained “entirely focused on balancing our bill”, adding: “It’s not just about gender, it’s about every aspect of diversity.”
Other acts confirmed for this summer’s festival include Lizzo, Blondie, Fatboy Slim, Lewis Capaldi, Rina Sawayama, Lil Nas X, Lana Del Rey, Christine and the Queens, Alt-J and Royal Blood.
Meanwhile, Glastonbury has renamed the John Peel Stage “Woodsies” and is set to introduce a new family-orientated area of the same name. “We’ve had 20 years of John Peel and it’s been an honour to use his name,” Eavis said.
Glastonbury Festival 2023 will run between June 21-25. Tickets have now sold out, but a resale is expected to take place next month.