Glastonbury is set to kick off this week and Clara Amfo is excited to be whisked away into its wonderful world for yet another year.
It’s a particularly humid day in June and Amfo - who, despite falling victim to hayfever - is fresh faced and chipper. Festival season begins with a bang tomorrow as the gates to Glastonbury 2023 officially open, but with a schedule so jam-packed and a lot on her agenda for summer 2023, how does she maintain such a genuine good mood? “It’s Glastonbury!” she says simply. “Even if it rains, just look at where you are, you’re not in the real world and are still going to be entertained. l always disassociate. Like I’m here, but I’m not really here.”
As a radio broadcaster, presenter and podcast host, Amfo has covered music history on site and behind the scenes at the world’s most iconic festivals over the past five years. Along with Cerys Matthews, Danny Howard and Dermot O’Leary, she will be covering the event live from Somerset, starting tomorrow. “This time of year always becomes a little bit of a blur with everything happening,” she confesses.
Interviewing so many artists, from dusk till dawn, come rain or shine, could easily feel overwhelming - but her excitement and enthusiasm is plentiful. She’ll be “running” to catch Rina Sawayama (“she’s wicked, so good and is still quite underrated in my personal opinion, and she’s doing amazingly well.”) Packing all the essentials to ensure she’s prepared - “I’m a germaphobe so hand sanitiser. Portable phone charger. Do not forget your USB - or sunscreen!”
To help us get into the swing of things, Amfo reflects upon her experiences of the muddy mania and curates her own ultimate warm-up playlist for Glastonbury 2023. Listen here.
Artists you should catch at Glastonbury this year…
RAYE - Flip A Switch.
“I think RAYE is a great example of true grit in this industry and just holding your nerve when you really want your dreams to come true. I think it’s a wicked tune. It’s a good party tune– in my car, in the club for everybody really. It’s just got the energy and the pace that I really like. She’s doing the Pyramid Stage this year which is fantastic. This is a girl that went independent and got a number one single and has written all these hits. Her pen game and songwriting skill is so incredible. She’s really become this sort of people’s champ in that sense and I’m just really happy for her.”
Elton John - Bennie And The Jets
“We’re going to go to Uncle Elton obviously. The thing about Elton John is that he’s just one of those legends that just unites everybody and if you think about the amount of people that have referenced him, whether it’s Frank Ocean or A Tribe Called Quest, the new generation of singer-songwriters always cite him as an influence. We see what he’s done with Dua Lipa and had a number one single at this time in his career, that’s amazing. I think that the Pyramid Stage on Sunday is going to be really magical.”
Wizkid - Bad To Me
“I was tempted to go with ‘2 Sugar’ but we’ll go with Bad To Me. The past 3-4 years in particular we’ve seen just this incredible wave of amazing West African artists, particularly Nigerian artists which is just so cool. I love the fact that it has finally entered the British consciousness and music pop culture now. It’s not wild or random to see Burna [Boy] or Wizkid or Ayra Starr in the charts now, because they should be.”
Shygirl - Cleo
“I just love the lyric ‘you got me feeling like a movie star. All eyes on me.’ I think one of the biggest symptoms of our digital age is that everyone’s got main character syndrome. Whenever anyone sings that they feel like it’s truly them. I think it’s just so perfect for a party.”
Nia Archives - Conveniency
“She’s had such a great year this year and she’s just someone to be really excited about. I love watching her play, she sings, she DJs and she produces. There’s such a lovely orchestral, classic quality to what she does.”
Some favourite moments from previous years…
Janelle Monáe - Float (Jersey Club remix)
“Janelle Monáe to me is one of the most essential artists of our era. She’s just excellent and she’s done Glastonbury a couple of times now. She’s just got that energy on stage. It’s just mad. I’m gonna play the Jersey Club remix of Float because it’s just good energy. Her new album is called The Age of Pleasure, which I just like because that’s what Glastonbury is all about, leaning into your pleasure and joy.”
Beyoncé - American Has A Problem (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
Obviously I’m picking Beyoncé and it’s actually a two for one because both these people have played at Glastonbury. To me it’s the Kendrick [Lamar] remix of Beyonce’s America Has A Problem, it’s just so fucking good and has an energy. I went to The Renaissance World Tour and I’m gonna go see her again. I can’t get enough of her, everytime I listen to her I feel like I’m levitating afterwards. I’m telling anybody, if you have the chance to experience her, do.”
Kylie Minogue - Padam Padam
“Kylie’s set was iconic and people were living for it. I mean Padam Padam. That’s just Kylie. We’re all obsessed. That was a really seminal year because Kylie was supposed to do Glastonbury before but she got cancer and beat it. So 2021 was a really special performance because it was her coming back into the frame being like ‘yeah bitches, I’m back’. I remember watching it on the hill with Lauren Laverne, the weather was perfect and it was just really joyous, beautiful and uplifting.”
Little Simz - Woman
“I’m going to go with Woman by Little Simz, because it’s still just so beautiful and lovely. I remember watching her at the Park Stage and she was playing guitar. She’s just amazing.”
Thundercat & Tame Impala - No More Lies
“I flipping love Tame Impala. The songs I’ve picked so far are warm, fuzzy party vibes. I guess everybody knows The Less I Know The Better, that’s such a great choice but I’m going to go with one of their latest tunes, No More Lies, Tame Impala and Thundercat. That’s a nice one to end on.”
