Megan Thee Stallion Glastonbury review: ‘A powerhouse performance from a potential future headliner’
Ferocious and filthy, the Houston rapper brought the party at Glastonbury's Other Stage on Saturday night.
By Will Stroude
Words: Will Stroude; Image: Julie Edwards/Alamy Live News
Megan Thee Stallion made her case for a future Glastonbury headliner slot on Saturday night as the Houston Hot Girl shook The Other Stage to its core with a ferocious, fearless and downright filthy performance that underscored her position as the world’s most exciting rapper right now.
Megan’s meteoric rise has been so rapid that Saturday’s set didn’t just mark her first time at Glastonbury, but her first time in the UK. Yet there was no sign of the star being overwhelmed by the occasion as she strutted onto stage in a raunchy black studded corset declaring, “Are you ready for real hot girl shit?!”
The crowd was somewhat diminished due to Paul McCartney’s marathon headline set taking place on the Pyramid Stage, but so electric was the atmosphere that those in attendance knew they’d found the real main event. Flanked by a troupe of scantily-clad dancers, Megan dripped confidence as she delivered a slick and sexy string of X-rated hits like ‘Freak Nasty’, ‘Sex Talk’ and ‘Eat It’. Her simulation of cunnilingus with a dancer during the latter prompted someone nearby to exclaim “Paul McCartney could never!” They weren’t wrong.
Sexual liberation and female empowerment – always been at the centre of Megan’s lyrics and ethos – were the theme of the night as the rapper and vocal LGBTQ ally encouraged people to make some noise “if you love yourself just the way you are.” There was more overt politics too as Megan issued an urgent and passionate response to the US Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe vs Wade and nationwide abortion rights. “You know I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t say something about these stupid-a*s men… The hot girls and hot boys do not support this s**t. My body, my motherf*****g choice!”
By the time chart hits like ‘WAP’, ‘Sweetest Pie’ and ‘Savage’ came around, Megan had Glastonbury in a bona fide frenzy. ‘Savage’ should have been the set closer but Megan clearly didn’t want the party to end, riding the energy with an impromptu rendition of ‘Girls in the Hood’. One thing is certain: Megan Thee Stallion is coming for that Glastonbury Pyramid Stage, and boy will it go off again when she gets there.
Megan Thee Stallion’s Glastonbury setlist:
Realer
Megan’s Piano
Freak Nasty
Simon Says
Big Ole Freak
Sex Talk
Eat It
WAP
Body
Captain Hook
Cash Shit
Cry Baby
Thot Shit
Plan B
What’s New
Don’t Stop
Hot Girl Summer
Sweetest Pie
Savage (Remix)
Girls in the Hood (Encore)
Megan Thee Stallton’s Glastonbury performance is available to watch on BBC iPlayer in the UK now.