Zara Larsson brought endless summer energy to the main stage of BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend with her highly anticipated headline set.
The Swedish pop star treated the audience to a flurry of high-energy pop bangers from her latest album, Midnight Sun, along with fan favorites such as Stateside and Ain’t My Fault.
Larson’s dancers and their sophisticated, sassy choreography have been key to getting crowds going on her current world tour, with tens of thousands going wild at Sunderland’s Herrington Country Park on Saturday night.
Another tradition of hers during her shows is bringing fans on stage to perform the viral Rush Life dance with her.
Superfan Kaley, who revealed she went to the US show three times to see Larson, was the lucky girl on the big weekend.
After the 28-year-old pop star gifted her with a custom T-shirt, they launched into an energetic performance of their iconic routine to cheers from the crowd.
The Swedish pop sensation delivered non-stop pop bangers during his headline set [BBC]
According to BBC Radio 1, this is Larson’s fourth appearance at the Big Weekend, but the first time he has headlined a major European festival.
The singer burst onto the music scene after winning the Swedish version of Britain’s Got Talent in 2008 at just 10 years old.
She shot to fame in 2016 when her song “Lush Life” became one of the major soundtracks of the year.
The pop hit rocketed back onto the charts this year, peaking at No. 3 thanks to a wave of 2016 nostalgia that swept social media.
She ended the night by reflecting on the breadth of her career, stretching back to her collaboration with Clean Bandit on 2017’s Symphony, closing with the title track of her new Scandi-pop album, Midnight Sun.
Before leaving the stage, she declared, “Summer isn’t over…Summer has just begun.”
Laura Young offered a selection of refreshingly honest and soulful tracks [BBC]
Laura Young took to the main stage early in the evening and told the crowd, “It’s great to be performing again.”
The Big Weekend was her first festival appearance since collapsing on stage at New York’s All Things Go last September.
The 25-year-old Londoner took a few months off to take care of her mental and physical health, and has been playing intimate gigs ever since reappearing at the Grammys in February.
Her set included many of her refreshingly honest and soulful tracks, including d£aler, Post Sex Clarity, and One Thing.
She definitely saved the best until last, closing with the confessional anthem “Messy,” which won her a Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance and a Breakthrough Award at the Brit Awards earlier this year.
James Blake gave a mesmerizing performance on the New Music stage [BBC]
British singer-songwriter James Blake brought a change of pace on the night’s new music stage, his silky voice echoing throughout the tent.
Smoke wafted across the stage and strobe lights danced around the room, creating a truly mesmerizing set featuring his popular songs “Godspeed,” “Retrograde,” and “I’ll Come Too.”
Ahead of the latter, he told the crowd that the song was about “doing anything for love, moving anywhere” and that he “loved” people singing along to it.
Indie star Mitski isn’t your typical Radio 1 artist, but he drew an impressive crowd to the same stage on Saturday afternoon. Among them were those who took advantage of the opportunity to protect themselves from the sun.
She reminded fans to stay hydrated and bend their knees during her set, telling the crowd, “I don’t want anyone to faint.”
The New York singer-songwriter performed songs from her latest album, Nothing’s About to Happen to Me, which reflect her ability to be both relatable and mysterious.
Louis Tomlinson performed a number of solo hits and One Direction throwbacks [Getty Images]
Early in the day, the sun-beaten main stage crowd was taken on a trip down memory lane by Ellie Goulding, who performed a number of hits including Burn, Love Me Like You Do and Starry Eyed.
Louis Tomlinson later made One Direction fans’ wishes come true when he performed one of the group’s biggest hits during One Direction’s main stage set.
A roar rang out as his band played the opening chords of “Night Changes.” The emotional song is an unofficial tribute to bandmate Liam Payne, who passed away in 2024.
Tomlinson also wowed the audience with lively renditions of his solo hits “Impostor,” “Lemonade” and “Sunflowers.”
BBC Radio 1’s Sound of 2026 award winner Skye Newman and new wave indie singer Rachel Chinouriri also serenaded festival-goers on the second day of the festival.
[BBC]
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