Charli XCX performed a career-spanning set at Reading Festival, marking her first UK festival appearance since the release of her latest album.
Key facts
- •Charli XCX's set featured a transition from a black sparkly blazer to a black corseted dress.
- •The festival's opening night featured six major headliners, with Reading and Leeds serving as their only UK festival appearances this year.
- •Skepta performed in a lime green jacket, referencing the aesthetic of Charli XCX's previous album, Brat.
- •Jamie T's set duration of 33 minutes and 10 seconds was a reference to his new single, 3310.
- •The festival lineup includes other major acts such as Dave, Raye, Chase & Status, and Florence + The Machine.
British singer Charli XCX headlined the opening night of Reading Festival on Friday, delivering a performance that blended tracks from her latest studio album, Music, Fashion, Film, with hits from her back catalogue. The set featured elaborate production, including pyrotechnics, strobe lighting, and multiple costume changes, as the artist transitioned between her electronic-pop roots and a new rock-influenced sound.
Performance Highlights and Production
The show opened with distorted, black-and-white visuals before Charli XCX performed the lead single from her new album, Rock Music. Throughout the set, she moved through various eras of her career, performing tracks like the 2017 song Track 10, the melancholic House, and dance-focused hits from her 2024 album Brat, such as Club Classics, 365, and the Grammy-winning Von Dutch. The performance concluded with the track No One Lasts Forever, featuring spoken-word audio from filmmaker David Cronenberg.
Main Stage Lineup and Festival Atmosphere
Following Charli XCX, the Irish band Fontaines DC performed as co-headliners, overcoming a half-hour delay to deliver a set that included their Grammy-nominated track Starbuster. Earlier in the day, grime artist Skepta performed on the main stage, while Jamie T opened the stage at midday with a 33-minute and 10-second set. Other performances included US rock band Geese and BBC Radio 1's Sound of 2026 winner Skye Newman, who played in the Gallery tent.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by BBC Entertainment & Arts.
