HOLLY Humberstone finished her set on the John Peel Stage with a flourish this afternoon after admitting being “so nervous” to perform in front of thousands at Glastonbury Festival.
Humberstone, 22, has established herself as an exceptionally talented singer-songwriter with her two critically acclaimed EPs, Falling Asleep At The Wheel and The Walls Are Way Too Thin.
Her debut collection was released in August 2020, meaning Covid limited her opportunities to perform for live audiences on a regular basis until earlier this year, when she opened for Girl in Red and Olivia Rodrigo in North America.
Perhaps this explains an early jitter in the John Peel tent, which saw her stop while singing an A Capella part of her first track ‘Vanilla’ (“sorry guys, I’m so nervous”).
Within a few moments, she had the audience back bouncing along to the catchy chorus and punchy beat.
Early in her set, the BRIT Rising Star Award winner - who performed on the BBC Introducing Stage in 2019 - said: “What's up Glastonbury, I'm so gassed to be here, thanks for coming!
“I’m so excited to be here. I did not expect so many people!”
Humberstone's anxiety evaporated throughout a 10-song set that saw her switch between playing a bright blue guitar, sitting at a keyboard, and using a sample pad.
A highlight was ‘Deep End’, a song written by Humberstone to tell one of her sisters who was going through a difficult time that “I’m here for you and I love you”.
The mellow track highlighted her ability to back up her beautifully written lyrics based on her personal experiences with soft vocals.
Similarly personal themes were explored in ‘London Is Lonely’, a song that marks Humberstone’s decision to move to the capital from rural Lincolnshire on a whim.
“I found myself in this strange, terrifying place,” she explained. “Big cities can be great, but they can be really isolating and lonely.”
Her set ended with three reimagined versions of her best-known numbers: ‘Scarlett’, ‘Falling Asleep At The Wheel’ and ‘The Walls Are Way Too Thin’.
‘Scarlett’ had an almost pop-punk feel thanks to lively drumming from Lauren O’Donnell Anderson - the only other performer on stage throughout the set - and Humberstone’s electric guitar and keyboard.
The packed John Peel tent joined in en masse during ‘Falling Asleep At The Wheel’, which saw Humberstone perform the opening verses in the style of a piano ballad before the drums added depth to its second half.
‘The Walls Are Way Too Thin’ crowned an encouraging, entertaining 45 minutes of music from an artist on the rise.
Before leaving the stage, she told the audience: “It feels pretty unreal to be here, thanks so much for having me. This has been so special!”
With her debut album in the works and a ‘Sleep Tight’ UK tour on the horizon, it will be interesting to see what comes next for one of the country’s brightest young talents.
Read more: Rising star Griff wows packed John Peel Stage at Glastonbury Festival
Read more: Electrifying Billie Eilish becomes Glastonbury Festival’s youngest headline act
Read more: Festival fanatic's Glastonbury book provides unique Worthy Farm timeline
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here