The 2021 BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend kicked off in Luton with an impressive lineup. On Friday, Chase & Status amazed the crowd with surprise performances by ArrDee, Stefflon Don, and Clementine Douglas. It was the first time in the event’s history that all four stages hosted acts on a Friday. Previous events reserved Friday for an 18-plus dance night. The day’s acts also included Rudimental, Becky Hill, Nathan Dawe, and Ella Henderson.
Before their set, Chase & Status admitted that selecting songs for the set was complicated, given the large pool of songs they have from seven albums. However, they managed to deliver one of their trademark energetic sets. The DJ duo also acknowledged that it was a shorter set than they’re used to.
The BBC Introducing Stage had a surprise reveal, making Rachel Chinouriri a headliner. She performed songs from her debut album, What A Devastating Turn Of Events. Despite being revealed as a headliner in the morning, Rachel managed to deliver an outstanding performance. She admitted she was good at keeping secrets and had hidden in traffic for most of the day – a journey that took her four hours.
Although Girls Don’t Sync were scheduled to perform, the group withdrew from the event due to timing issues. The weekend’s events will see Raye headline on Saturday, while Coldplay will be on the Main Stage on Sunday. The final day of the festival will see Sabrina Carpenter, Vampire Weekend, and Olly Alexander perform on the Main Stage. In total, the event is expected to attract about 100,000 attendees over three days.
For Newsbeat listeners who missed the event, BBC Radio 1 is offering an opportunity to listen to the highlights. Fans can listen to Newsbeat live on weekdays at 12:45 and 17:45 or catch up on the Radio 1 website
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