Charli XCX Slams Reading & Leeds Festival For Its Male-Dominated Lineup
Charli XCX attended the NME Awards on Wednesday night in London and expressed how she felt about the Reading and Leeds festival lineup when she was questioned about it.
In an interview that can be watched on the publication’s official YouTube channel, Charli immediately started booing when the interviewer mentioned the name of the festival.
When asked what festivals should do to be more diverse, the “Break the Rules” hitmaker simply stated that they need to book more women for their shows.
“But the thing is that this conversation has been going on for so long,” she said.
Charli remarked that the same outrage happened last year with Reading and Leeds and that she doesn’t see much of a difference.
“The lineup came out and everybody was like, ‘There aren’t enough women on this line-up.’ Nothing has changed. Nothing. What can be done? It’s our responsibility to talk about this and be as open as we can.”
However, Charli also believes it’s not just those who book artists for shows that need to change. She insists that record company executives also have to improve so a change can be made.
“The change needs to come from the industry itself and the ground up. Yes, the festival needs to book females but the industry as a whole needs to recognize women working within it: producers, writers, A&Rs, executives, anything,” she continued.
This year, Stormzy, Liam Gallagher, and Rage Against The Machine will headline Reading and Leeds. According to Music News, only 20 females are on the bill so far, including Mabel, Mahalia, Mae Muller, and Lady Leshurr, to name a few.
Within the last 20 years, the festival has only featured one female-fronted headliner, Paramore, whose lead singer is Hayley Williams.
When asked if she feels respected as an artist who writes and produces her own material, Charli stated that, if she was a man, she would be more respected for what she does.
Last year, Charli performed on the mainstage at Reading and Leeds and received a warm reception from the crowd.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Charli posed on the red carpet at the NME Awards alongside Robyn, FKA Twigs, and Christine and the Queens. The “Blame It On Your Love” songstress stunned in a black bodysuit top, which she rocked with leather pants of the same color. She accessorized with a belt around her waist and pulled her long brunette hair up in a ponytail.
