reading-leeds-festival

post image

Charli XCX Reflects on Past Performances Ahead of Reading & Leeds Headline Set

Charli XCX has taken a trip down memory lane, reviewing some of her previous performances at Reading & Leeds while teasing what fans can expect from her upcoming 2026 headline set. The singer is set to make her headline debut at the dual festival later this week, marking her first appearance at the event since 2022. These performances arrive on the heels of her latest album, ‘Music, Fashion, Film’, and precede a highly anticipated North American arena tour with Underscores this September.

Charli XCX live at Glastonbury 2025, photo by Derek Bremner

Charli XCX live at Glastonbury 2025. Credit: Derek Bremner for NME

In a recent video interview with BBC Radio 1, the ‘360’ artist revisited clips from her past festival sets, offering a candid verdict on her evolution as a performer. Reflecting on a 2017 performance of her single ‘Boys’, she admitted, “It’s cringing me out, if I’m honest.” She noted that she had forgotten she previously performed with a live band, though she acknowledged it felt like a “cool show” at the time.

WATCH

Her critique continued as she looked back at her 2019 set, specifically her performance of ‘I Love It’. “I remember this because it was so hot. It was when I had short hair and I had a fringe. I hate that hairstyle… When I would get really hot, my fringe would do its own thing in a way that was really unfortunate,” she joked.

Despite the self-deprecation, Charli expressed deep appreciation for the festival atmosphere. Having attended Reading & Leeds as a fan in her youth, she finds the scale of her current success surreal. “I really think of it as the festival that I grew up at. It is a bit surreal. The crowd really goes for it there. They party really hard, so that’s cool and a bit scary.”

Looking ahead to her 2026 headline performance, Charli promised a unique experience. “It’s going to be my first performance in the UK where I’m playing new songs and doing a whole new stage set up, so hopefully people enjoy it,” she shared. “If they don’t, that is totally fine. I will see you there. It’s going to be great.”