SZA on her divisive Glastonbury set: ‘Nothing I could do would be enough’

SZA has reflected on her divisive headline set at Glastonbury 2024, admitting she felt like she was “falling” during the divisive set.

The US star performed on the final night of the festival earlier this year, following previous headline slots that weekend from Coldplay and Dua Lipa.

She had already faced prior backlash from critics who questioned whether she was a household name, while her set saw a number of subsequent technical and audio difficulties. For the first 30 minutes of the show, many noted that her mic was muffled, rendering the singer’s vocals near inaudible. 

In a new interview with British Vogue, SZA has said 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 said, before reflecting on how she was only “the second black woman in history” to headline, following Beyoncé in 2011. “It’s like, no matter what you do here, you will be subject to criticism because of who you are. But that’s life.”

Later in the interview, SZA said she felt like she was “drowning on stage”, but added that it helped her to push forward. “It was a reminder that your guardians are with you. Everyone’s here. Even beyond. Keep going.”

In a three-star review of her set, Rolling Stone UK said it was “a smash for the diehards but does little to placate the nay-sayers.

“It might not go down a storm, but for those close enough to lean in and fully immerse themselves, it’s a show of brilliant dexterity and class. For Glastonbury, it’s another step into a new world they are wise to embrace.”