It feeds into every aspect of BST Hyde Park, serving as a showcase for modern pop in all its forms. flowerovlove takes to the mid-afternoon stage and stamps her pop credentials with 'BOYS' and new track 'new friends' hitting with a precision that proves she's ready to be your next favourite star. Aziya commands the Birdcage Stage with scorching alt-pop that holds the crowd spellbound from the start, while over at the Rainbow Stage, Katie Gregson-Macleod provides the perfect soundtrack as sun beams across Hyde Park. A songwriter in full flight delivers a set that's confessional, warm and gripping - the stunning 'Teenage Love' born to be screamed back in heartbreaking defiance.
Florence Road capture lightning in a bottle at the Birdcage Stage. Their special quality seems obvious now, but with each show, their presence grows. With an alt-crunch in every moment, this stage already feels too small for them. The screams accompanying each track confirm it - 'Figure It Out' and an emphatic 'Heavy' fizz with energy, whilst 'Caterpillar' has Hyde Park hanging on every note. Among massive main stage moments and diehard fans, the reaction Florence Road receive proves how exciting things are getting. A band who can own any stage because they know exactly who they are, today's set will be remembered with both awe and envy.
girl in red delivers nothing short of an out-and-out rock spectacle. There's making a stage your own, and then there's what Girl In Red achieves today, thriving through technical difficulties and even a knocked tooth with infectious energy. An early run of 'DOING IT AGAIN BABY', '4am', 'bad idea!' and 'Girls' (complete with guitars thrown across the stage) has Hyde Park bouncing in unison. She makes a compelling case as one of the best live acts performing today. It's unpredictable and urgent, with singalongs to 'we fell in love in october' and mass movement to 'You Stupid Bitch' and 'Serotonin'. New track 'Hemingway' stands out as an emotional gut punch. After revealing that Marie started the year in rehab and this show nearly didn't happen, the set feels even more triumphant, and her next chapter more intriguing. Diving into the crowd for closer 'i wanna be your girlfriend', Girl In Red ignites the perfect spark for everything to follow.
If last year was the year of The Last Dinner Party, then 2025 could be their test-run for festival headlining status. As evening draws in at Hyde Park, crowds stream back as far as the eye can see. A new confidence weaves through their every move, taking their signature elements to bigger stages. 'Burn Alive', 'Caesar On A TV Screen' and 'My Lady Of Mercy' land as heavyweight knockout blows, while 'On Your Side' and 'Mirror' hold Hyde Park transfixed. Commanding the same park that hosted their 11th ever show supporting The Rolling Stones, their return proves a flawless demonstration of what sets them apart. Unreleased tracks 'The Killer' and 'Big Dog' have grown into fixtures of their set, and as they bask in closer 'Nothing Matters', The Last Dinner Party chart a course for their next chapter.
The moment Olivia Rodrigo takes the stage at BST Hyde Park is marked by screams so loud they could reach Birmingham. 'bad idea right?' and 'ballad of a homeschooled girl' tear through Hyde Park in moments, as months of building excitement reach fever point. 'Vampire' and 'drivers license' inspire a choir of fans like a giant campfire sing-along, and 'traitor', 'obsessed' and a swinging 'love is embarrassing' have 55,000 in the palm of her hand. "Wow, there are SO many of you," she exclaims.
Her connection, what's made her so beloved, stems from tales of modern romance and that uncertain time of growing up, discovering identity and navigating relationships. 'happier', 'jealousy, jealousy' and a scorching 'so american' soar in a relentless show. Hit follows hit as Olivia bounds across the stage, the energy sweeping through Hyde Park like a tidal wave. Her declaration of London as her favourite city (perhaps the first time a global star has shouted out M&S sweets and "eggs and soldiers" to 55,000 people) brightens an already perfect summer night.
With Ed Sheeran joining for a special version of 'The A-Team', and a ripping run through defining pop hits of the past four years - 'deja vu', 'good 4 u' and 'get him back' - Olivia Rodrigo surveys Hyde Park. Through beaming smiles and purple cowboy hats, there's no doubt who's leading pop's revolution. History awaits.
