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Glastonbury’s ‘forgotten’ first female headliner looks unrecognisable 36 years after game-changing performance

BBG News

36 years after her groundbreaking, yet often overlooked headline act at Glastonbury, the woman has undergone a remarkable transformation.

1989 marked the groundbreaking moment when Suzanne Vega made history as the inaugural female artist to headline the prestigious Pyramid Stage at the festival.

Taking to the stage with her band she rocked a cropped hair style with an oversized denim jacket. 

In the Instagram photos she posted, Suzanne appears nearly unmatched, boasting short hair and an elegant appearance that’s hard to associate with the long blonde locks and smart style we’re used to seeing.

Born in New York, this musician gained notability as four of her singles made it into the top 40 of the UK charts during the mid-80s.

After the achievement of her second studio album, Solitude Standing, released in 1987, she was subsequently invited to perform at Worthy Farm.

Nevertheless, Suzanne’s performance was almost canceled due to the bassist in her band receiving threatening messages from a stalker.

Reflecting on a recent conversation with The i Paper, I shared that I had been targeted by those harmful words. Specifically, I was drawn into their malicious threats.

The Scotland Yard officially warned me against participating in the show, but I couldn’t help but respond with a mix of disbelief and incredulity, saying something along the lines of, ‘You’ve got to be joking!’

I ended up securing myself into an enormous bulletproof vest using duct tape, followed by wearing a denim jacket on top. The songs seemed to drag on for what felt like twenty minutes each. It wasn’t a pleasant experience at all.

‘Everyone was feeling anxious. I take great pride in being the first woman to be the headliner. There’s nothing less significant about that achievement.’

or

‘We were all on edge. Being the first woman to lead was something I’m very proud of, and there’s no lack of importance in that.’

or

‘The atmosphere was tense. I feel honored to be the first woman to take the main stage, and there’s nothing trivial about it.’

This May, Suzanne unveiled her newest album titled “Flying With Angels,” marking a decade since her previous one.

In an interview with Forbes, Suzanne shared insights on her latest music, stating that the songs represent polar opposites. This, she says, is simply a reflection of her versatile nature and the variety of emotions she experiences.

Instead of having specific phases where I find myself leaning towards a particular genre like, “Oh, I’m in a folk phase,” and gradually transitioning, it’s more about my mood. For instance, today we might be in a punk rock mood, but tomorrow it could be something entirely different, so the change can happen quite swiftly.

2025’s Glastonbury event is shaping up to be an impressive lineup, featuring performances by Rod Stewart, Olivia Rodrigo, Neil Young, The 1975, Nile Rodgers, and Noah Kahan.

It’s whispered that Lewis Capaldi may make an appearance on stage at Glastonbury following the release of his latest hit, Survive.

After taking a two-year break from his career because of his struggle with Tourette’s syndrome, the strong new song marks the Scottish singer’s initial release since then.

Reports indicate that Lewis’ upcoming song might align with his highly anticipated comeback performance at Glastonbury Festival, which comes two years following his emotional breakdown during a previous show.

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2025-06-27 15:18

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