SZA was “scared”, “freaked out” and felt like she was “falling” during divisive Glastonbury 2024 headline set

nme.com:

SZA has reflected on her time headlining Glastonbury 2024, and said that she felt like she was “falling” during the divisive set.The US singer-songwriter took to the stage on the Sunday of Glastonbury earlier this summer, following on from headline sets from both Dua Lipa and Coldplay.

During her set, however, she was marred by numerous technical and audio difficulties and received mixed reviews from critics.For the first 30 minutes of the performance, SZA’s mic was muffled and muddy, rendering the singer nearly inaudible.

After 30 minutes, the singer’s voice sounded clearer and louder, but would occasionally dip back into muddy quality.Social media users were also quick to point out that the crowds for her set were smaller than her fellow headliners – with her performance clashing with sets from The National, James Blake, Justice and London Grammar.Now, during a new interview with British Vogue, SZA has reflected on how she felt “scared” and “freaked out” by the huge slot.“I just felt like nothing I could do would be enough for Glastonbury, no matter what I did […] It scared me.

I was like, well, I wish I wasn’t doing it, but I couldn’t walk away from it,” she explained.“It’s such a tall order,” she added, looking at how she was only “the second black woman in history” to headline, following Beyoncé’s 2011 slot. “It’s like, no matter what you do here, you will be subject to criticism because of who you are.