Return to the Spotlight

Lola Young treated fans at the final day of Reading Festival to an unexpected set, according to BBC. The singer teased her appearance on Instagram, saying, “I am backstage, the cat is out of the bag and I am going to be performing so see you… at the Grid stage.”

Her performance included hits such as her number one single, Messy, and One Thing. This marks the latest step in her return to the stage after she had to cancel a string of shows last year following an on-stage collapse in September.

Young also had to pull out of the 2025 Reading festival due to a scheduling clash — her return to performing has been a gradual process, with a small run of shows in the UK starting with a London gig in March.

Health and Recovery

Young had previously cancelled her scheduled appearance at Reading Festival last year due to an “unavoidable scheduling conflict.” A month later, she dropped her microphone, collapsed backwards, and had to be helped off stage in front of a festival crowd in New York.

Following that incident, she cancelled all shows “for the foreseeable future.” In a message to fans at the time, she said, “I really hope you’ll give me a second chance once I’ve had some time to work on myself and come back stronger.”

Young has sought treatment for drug dependency and told the Guardian in 2025 that addiction had dogged her for “a long time.” Her return to performing has been welcomed by fans, with her reflective single From Down Here released in May this year.

Reading Festival Concludes

Reading Festival concluded on Sunday with a line-up that included performances by drum and bass duo Chase & Status and Florence + The Machine. The weekend also featured Charli XCX, who ushered in her new era with an electrifying set following the release of her latest album, Music, Fashion, Film.

Before touching down in Reading, Young performed at the Electric Picnic Festival in the Republic of Ireland on Saturday; her performance at Reading was welcomed by festival-goers, with fans still awaiting the release of her fourth album.

The festival’s other site in Leeds closed after performances from singer-songwriter Raye and multi award-winning rapper Dave on Sunday night.