It’s 40 years since Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti and his 20-piece band Egypt 80 took the headline Sunday slot for Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage, the second African artist to achieve such an accolade. Now Afro-fusion maestro (and fellow Nigerian) Burna Boy, who has spoken of the inspiration he’s drawn from Fela, is performing on the same stage, on the same day, but just one billing shy of the headline spot which is occupied by SZA. Glastonbury is certainly a very different festival now compared to the 80s, but Burna isn’t one who is shy about his ambitions and African Giant status, even in 2019 slamming Coachella for printing his name too small. So all eyes are on this set with the question of whether there’s a sense that Burna could one day progress to the headline slot for the iconic stage and confirm his place as the supreme Nigerian artist of his generation.
On stage, a wooden set, Burna’s Saloon is constructed, with a horse positioned to the right of it. After being welcomed in with an orchestra of clashing cymbals, banging talking drums and blaring saxophones from his band the Outsiders, he bursts through the swinging doors clad in a cowboy hat, brown leather and double denim. It’s a fitting ensemble considering how much of the crowd is already wearing cowboy hats after attending Shania Twain’s legacy set. He immediately swings to the familiar hit – Location, his collaboration with Dave, which the crowd knows well and sings word-for-word. Tested, Approved and Trusted then builds an immediately feverish energy, his western shirt wearing dancers and the band creating the atmosphere of carnival which the song speaks to. His -female backing singers complement Burna’s signature baritone texture, providing intricate, gorgeous moments of vocal layering particularly as he sings “I wanna hold you so tight until the night is over” in For My Hand.
Burna is electrifying, running the course of the stage, carrying and dancing with the microphone stand as if it’s a beautiful woman. You do get the sense that it’s a more stripped-down production – those familiar with Burna Boy’s shows will be aware of the extravaganza he typically puts on. There’s the pyrotechnics and the dynamic visuals – wanted posters, legs dangling over a skyscraper in New York for Sittin’ On Top Of The World, his catchy Brandy-sampled hit from latest album I Told Them… But this is more of a festival set than a show, which doesn’t mean that it underwhelms but that it feels condensed – notably there are no special guests, though at his London Stadium performance last night he brought on around 12, including Snoh Aalegra and Shallipopi. It’s the hour timeslot, certainly, but those who know what he’s capable of may wonder what kind of stops he could pull out if he reaches the top billing.
Still, Burna excels in engaging and building a rapport with the crowd. It’s a cool night, but there’s an incredible warmth that radiates from him. There are fun interactive moments – he sets the left and right side of the crowd in competition, singing “da da daaa” and “do do dooo … I need to know who’s the littest so I know where to be throughout the show!” He reaches for the hits too – On The Low, Talibans II, his remix of Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode’s electronic track Jerusalema. There’s a special Glastonbury gift too. He explains: “I done a remix to this song but they won’t let me release it, but I decided what’s the place to try this out? I said Glastonbury.” It’s a phenomenal remix of YG Marley’s reggae track Praise Jah In The Moonlight, on it Burna sings “inside your eyes I see a perfect romance” – whatever obstacle, legal or bureaucratic, is preventing its release should be removed swiftly.
Some truly beautiful moments are made on stage, an a cappella introduction to It’s Plenty is a vocal highlight. He gets the crowd to sing with him, and jumps around waving a towel in jubilation. Then, removing his top for Ye, he invites everyone else to do the same and wave their shirts around their head – many do, and they sing the infectious refrain with him. It’s not one of Burna’s standout performances, the one-hour Glastonbury slot was never going to be that, but the force of his discography was laid bare, as was his genuine love of performing and ability to command a crowd. Closing out on popular hit Last Last with its viral “igbo and shayo” hook, you’re left thinking that the party could’ve gone on all night. Perhaps, next time, he’ll be able to.
