LORDE added her name to the list of Glastonbury Festival artists who used their sets to speak out against the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn a landmark abortion ruling.
The New Zealand superstar, born Ella Yelich-O'Connor, spoke about the ruling in the outro to ‘Secrets From From a Girl (Who’s Seen It All)’ yesterday evening.
She reworked the song's spoken monologue and told her Pyramid Stage audience: “Welcome to sadness. The temperature is unbearable until you face it.
“Wanna hear a secret, girls? Your bodies were destined to be controlled and objectified since before you were born. That horror is your birthright.
“But here's another secret. You possess ancient strength. Ancient wisdom.
“That wisdom is also your birthright. I ask you today, make exercising that wisdom your life's work because everything depends on it. F*** the Supreme Court.”
Several other high-profile acts criticised the court's decision to overturn the Roe vs Wade ruling that has protected women's right to an abortion in America for nearly 50 years.
Around half of states are expected to ban or restrict access to abortions following the court's verdict.
Billie Eilish expressed her dismay about a “dark day for women in the United States” on the same stage on Friday night.
Other Stage singer Olivia Rodrigo brought Lily Allen on stage on Saturday to dedicate the Brit's 2009 hit F*** You to the five justices who voted to overturn Roe vs Wade.
Rapper Kendrick Lamar chanted “Godspeed for women's rights; they judge you, they judge Christ” at the end of his headline set last night.
Lorde's comments came during a soft Pyramid Stage debut that rose to a euphoric end with dance-pop hit ‘Green Light’ and ‘Solar Power’, a love letter to summer with a joyously catchy outro.
Her stage was decidedly minimalistic compared to her 2017 Other Stage set-up and featured a narrow, rustic staircase over a circular disk bathed in yellow.
Lorde, 25, was dressed in a violet leotard and red leggings and joined by a handful of musicians and backing singers, with whom she promised to ease her crowd's hangovers and ‘comedowns’ before raising the energy “when I think you're ready”.
She brought rising talents Arlo Parks and Clairo onto the stage to join her for the sombre ‘Stoned At The Nail Salon’, sitting and laughing with the pair throughout.
The rest of her set interspersed mellow tracks from last year's album Solar Power with hits from Pure Heroine (2013) and Melodrama (2017).
Solar Power's songs brought wistful explorations of fame and wellness culture (‘Mood Ring’), but it was her breakthrough hit ‘Royals’ and electropop anthems from Melodrama that made the audience bounce.
Before singing achingly beautiful piano ballad ‘Liability’, she said: “I've got to say Glastonbury, it's pretty f****** crazy to be back.
“There was a while when I didn't think this would be able to happen. Even as a kid, I knew the Pyramid Stage is kind of magic.
“After the last couple of years, I take things like this a lot less for granted. For people like me, this is Disneyland.
“Thank you for finding room in your hearts for a little freak from New Zealand.”
‘Green Light’ - seen by Lorde as “a British song” because of the explosive reception it receives on these shores - was an epic penultimate track before ‘Solar Power’ brought a fitting end to her evening sunshine set.
While running off the stage, Lorde yelled: “Be happy, be healthy. Wear sunscreen, protect the bees, I love you!”
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