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Doechii’s All Points East cancellation left me, like many, disappointed but when Raye’s on the lineup, you’re always in safe hands.
The London day festival had some heavy lifting to do after the Denial is a River hitmaker dropped out last minute with no explanation.
As a big fan who missed her Glastonbury set, Docheii evading me once again hit a little harder, and I almost threw my toys out of the pram and stayed home.
On top of the missing act, social media was flooded with videos of the festival turned into a complete dust bowl, with gig goers complaining about air quality.
Despite being ready to cut my losses, I’m so glad I didn’t.
Raye, Jade, and last-minute announcement, FKA Twigs, blew me away with their powerful vocals and captivating performances.
This was a day filled with female performers, particularly showcasing the unbelievable talent we have in the UK when it comes to women.
Cat Burns took to the mainstage early on, bringing good energy with her warm presence on stage. If you didn’t know her before, you certainly walked away a fan.
However, it was Jade’s turn on the main stage that really stopped me in my tracks. She is an undeniable superstar.
This was my first time seeing this former Little Mix icon in person, and she did not disappoint.
Opening with IT Girl, the crowd was instantly hyped and dancing away, even as the dust threatened to fill our lungs.
The Geordie was humble as ever despite her affirmation that she is the ‘it girl’, chatting away about how grateful she was that anyone had turned up.
It’s baffling to think that was ever a concern, as Jade is clearly on course to be one of the greats, as proved by her cover of Madonna with belted notes coming easily to the star.
My friend remarked that she had even improved since Mighty Hoopla earlier this summer, having grown in confidence on her festival run.
While her debut solo album is yet to be released, singles Fantasy, Plastic Box, and FUFN already had fans singing along, word-perfect.
Then, mid-set, Jade treated us to her Little Mix mash-up featuring iconic tracks such as Woman Like Me and Shout Out To My Ex.
Anyone not already dancing was instantly on their feet and moving. The girl group remains a cultural juggernaut, but Jade holds her own effortlessly as a solo star.
It was almost unfortunate for Tyla to follow that slam-dunk of a set from Jade as her vocals sadly paled in comparison.
That being said, the Water hitmaker still brought plenty of energy with her upbeat tunes and a carnival-esque dance break mid-set.
However, after over 10 minutes without Tyla herself uttering a single note, she did begin to lose the wider crowd slightly, especially as it was almost time for FKA Twigs.
The trek over to the west stage was honestly a little brutal, with dust flying as about half the festival followed the well-worn path in a massive swarm.
Makeshift masks were made from shirts, coats, and bandanas to protect our airways, but we were left coated in dirt.
Holiday Inn Express’ Fresh or Fried campaign found that Gen-Z tend to jump into self-care mode post festival, with 76% drinking water, and 81% straight in the shower.
This compared to hours of internet scrolling by their millennial counterparts, but we reckon after All Points East, 100% us downed water and scrubbed the dirt away.
Battling to the other side of Victoria Park was well worth it, as FKA Twigs easily filled the void left by Doechii’s absence.
I saw her Eusexua festival set at Sziget earlier this month but somehow it was even better on her home turf.
After stunning dance numbers — albeit with a heavy reliance on the backing track for someone so talented — FKA Twigs closed her set with her big ballads.
Her dizzying high notes and almost operatic style garnered a lengthy applause from the audience, with the singer tearing up as she sang Cellophane.
Tears were the order of the night, it seemed, as headliner Raye shed a few of her own during her epic hour and 45-minute performance.
From an emotional shout-out to a specific fan who had confided in the singer about their depression to her own struggles with assault in the track Ice Cream Man, she deftly navigated heavier moments.
The Escapism singer repeatedly reminded us why we love her as she stopped her performance several times to check on the crowd.
The first time the Prada hitmaker completely paused the show for several minutes, she was visibly concerned and waited until she was given a thumbs-up to continue.
Throughout the set, multiple people needed medical attention, with Raye sending security to help each and every one.
Bringing the energy back up, she managed to find a 69-year-old fan in the crowd, who shared her name as she covered It’s A Man’s World by James Brown.
She also teased that she was working on her next album, two years after the record-breaking My 21st Century Blues, and it couldn’t come soon enough.
Her big jazz numbers mixed with the upbeat ‘nightclub’ section proved (as if there was any doubt) that Raye is a once-in-a-generation talent.
Despite the dust and the Doechii of it all, All Points East put on a stunning lineup and reminded me how lucky we are to witness the rise of these brilliant female vocalists.
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