The China Mail - Lorde kicks off Glastonbury festival with surprise set

Best known for hits including "Royals", "Green Light" and "Solar Power", the star's performance on the Woodsies stage coincided with the release of her much-anticipated fourth studio album which came out at midnight.

Organisers shut off Woodsies field just before Lorde came on stage due to overcrowding as news of her appearance spread around the festival's sprawling Worthy Farm site.

Headline acts this year include Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo, with other highlights including Charli XCX and Rod Stewart.

Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi, meanwhile, was rumoured to be another of the TBAs who might perform a "secret set" at this year's festival.

Capaldi wrote on Instagram "It's been a while..." as his new track "Survive" was released, marking his return to the music industry.

Media reports speculated he could perform a slot scheduled for 4.55 pm (1555 GMT) on the festival's Pyramid Stage.

The 28-year-old in 2023 announced that he was taking a break from performing, after struggling to finish his Glastonbury set days earlier.

That year's Glastonbury was meant to be his comeback after he cancelled three weeks of shows due to the mental and physical effects of touring.

He had previously spoken of his difficulties coping with fame and suffering panic attacks, while he has also been diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome.

In an Instagram post at the time, Capaldi thanked the crowd for helping him, adding that he "used to be able to enjoy every second of shows like this".

"But the truth is I'm still learning to adjust to the impact of my Tourette's and on Saturday it became obvious that I need to spend much more time getting my mental and physical health in order, so I can keep doing everything I love for a long time to come."

He added: "I'll be back as soon as I possibly can."

Tourette's is a neurological condition that causes a person to make involuntary sounds or movements called tics. Stress and anxiety are common triggers.

The award-winning singer-songwriter, is best known for his 2019 hit "Someone You Loved", which was a number one in the UK and United States.

But despite the best-selling single and a best-selling album, he has spoken of having imposter syndrome caused by anxiety.

D.Peng--ThChM