Glastonbury Festival: Five Acts Who Came of Age in 2022

The Glastonbury Festival rarely fails to deliver tons of memorable moments and this year’s event has certainly been no different in that respect.

One of the biggest thrills at Glastonbury is witnessing an artist that uses the opportunity to truly announce themselves as a major star. A great example of this is Ed Sheeran, whose performance in the Croissant Neuf field in 2011 laid the foundation for him to become one of the world’s biggest music acts.

With one of the organisers telling Betway in the run-up to the event they are ‘always scouting for new and up-and-coming stuff’, it is always exciting to see who makes the breakthrough. Read on as we look at five acts who we believe came of age at the 2022 Glastonbury Festival.

Self Esteem

Rebecca Lucy Taylor (aka Self Esteem) delivered an eye-catching performance in more ways than one on the John Peel Stage on Saturday. Wearing a glittering bustier inspired by the roof of Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield, Taylor powered her way through a barnstorming set.

Taylor’s unique brand of pop has a strong focus on celebrating community and inclusiveness – based on this performance, she is destined for big things.

Olivia Rodrigo 

Rodrigo’s Disney background and penchant for posting viral TikTok videos has led many people to dismiss her as a serious music artist. However, the teenager delivered an outstanding performance on the Other Stage to stick two fingers up at her detractors.

An unexpected duet with Lily Allen was a special Glastonbury moment that perfectly highlighted Rodrigo’s ability to perform in front of a big crowd.

Sam Fender

Sam Fender often comes across as someone who doesn’t realise just how good he is. His performance on Saturday should rectify that. Fender’s songs about the struggles of everyday life resonated with the massive Pyramid Stage audience, sparking several singalongs during his set.

The 28-year-old recently supported The Killers on their stadium tour – it will not be too long before he’s emulating them by headlining Glastonbury.

Wolf Alice 

A bomb scare at Los Angeles airport almost cost Wolf Alice their Glastonbury set, but they won a race against time to make it to Worthy Farm. Frontwoman Ellie Rowsell is unquestionably made for the big stage, with her smouldering confidence complimenting one of the tightest live bands on the planet.

Wolf Alice had already built a loyal fan base prior to Glastonbury 2022, but will have added many more following this epic performance.

Glass Animals

Glass Animals are a Marmite band – you either love them or hate them – but they may well have converted a few people after their performance on Saturday. Their brand of retro indie pop was perfect for an afternoon in the sun and was topped by a fantastic rendition of the appropriately-named Heat Wave.

The band even had Hollywood actor Woody Harrelson watching from the side of the stage – how cool is that?