BST Hyde Park 2026: Lewis Capaldi

June 24th 2023. Glastonbury Festival. The Pyramid Stage. A location that has produced some of the most iconic moments in music. As Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi approached the end of his set, his Tourette’s syndrome began to take over to a point where he had to walk off the stage and was unable to finish. This, combined with struggles relating to mental health, was the turning point that began his two-year journey back to the stage. A year on from his triumphant return to the stage at Glastonbury for a secret set, this weekend proved to be arguably one of the biggest of his career, and that’s saying a lot for a man with six UK number one singles, two BRIT awards and 24 million monthly listeners on Spotify. A weekend of two sold-out Hyde Park shows, playing to over 100,000 people, is no easy feat for any artist, let alone someone who’s been on the journey that Lewis has. However, with the strength, valour, and resilience it took to reach this moment, there was no doubt that tonight’s performance would be Lewis at his absolute finest.

As with all BST Hyde Park lineups, the day was curated brilliantly with a wide range of artists stretching all corners of pop. Absolutely (whose real name is Abby-Lynn Keen) opened proceedings on the Great Oak Stage in sublime fashion, with a strong display of prowess and confidence. As the sister of one of the biggest pop stars in the world right now, RAYE, Keen more than holds her own, with her music leaning more towards the R&B of RAYE’s debut album, My 21st Century Blues. The highlight of the set was the impeccable ‘I Just Don’t Know You Yet’, one of the big singles off her second album Paracosm that was released in February. Keen delivers each line of the song with such a passion that you could really feel as if you were stepping into her shoes, with the chorus being a shining example of how talented a musician she is.

From one unbelievably talented musician to another, Jacob Alon graced the stage with some of the most spine-tingling vocals I have certainly heard in a long time. The current BRITs Critics’ Choice winner, he joined some of the finest to ever come out of the UK, such as Adele and Sam Fender, and this performance proved why he was worthy of such an award. At times, Alon’s vocals almost felt like a warm hug, accompanied by sombre, minimal backing instrumentation, but it’s when it’s just him and his virtuosic guitar playing that you are left simply awestruck. It was clear how much of a master of his craft he is, and while a big commercial music festival in the capital may not have garnered all the attention on him, those he did captivate were not disappointed.

Another rising star took to the stage shortly after, with Alessi Rose drawing a big turnout and bringing her pop star persona for her BST debut. 2025 was already a year to remember for Rose, whether it was going on tour with Dua Lipa and Tate McRae or releasing two EPs, and this year will hopefully lead to her thriving even more. This was certainly reflected in her two most recent tracks, with ‘Skin’ an honest look at who Rose was outside the world of music. This level of mature songwriting and reflection will certainly begin to pay dividends, as she grows not only as a musician but also as a person. And while there were definitely a few nerves at the beginning, Rose eventually found her feet and the stage became her playground. With the anticipation regarding her debut album only growing stronger, there won’t be much longer before she’ll be the name on everyone’s lips.

In a bit of a break from the action on the Great Oak Stage, Alexandra Savior graced the Rainbow Stage with both elegance and a captivating set of tunes. While some of her earlier work and influences revolved around indie and grunge, much of the music on show was the chamber and baroque pop that has seen a strong renaissance within the UK music scene, thanks to artists like The Last Dinner Party. Her third and most recent album, Beneath the Lilypad, is an exceptional display of this shift in genre, and the tracks she performed from it were the set’s highlights —a credit to both the strength in her vocal performance and the band surrounding her. It was a perfect fit for an afternoon of like-minded acts, and a real shame there weren’t more people there to see just how good she is.

Playing directly before the main act is always going to be a challenge for any artist. However, Conan Gray made it look as natural as ever, serving as the perfect warm-up. While many of Gray’s tracks are upbeat and poppy, he specifically crafted tonight’s setlist with Lewis’ fanbase in mind (as well as Lewis’ adoration of a depressing ballad). Whether it was the heart-wrenching ‘Family Line’, which touches on familial trauma, or ‘People Watching’ reflecting on his itching desire to find love, there were some strong emotional strings that were pulled on and tugged. That’s not to say there wasn’t room for some upbeat singalongs though, courtesy of ‘Wish You Were Sober’ and ‘Maniac’. The highlight was set-closer ‘Vodka Cranberry’, which celebrated its first anniversary this weekend — a song that seems almost impossible to sing live, especially during the bridge, yet Gray proves he’s more than capable of delivering on the expectations placed on him. It’s no wonder he’s an arena-level artist across the globe.

After all the excellent music throughout the evening, Lewis Capaldi was the finest cherry on top. From the get-go, it’s clear that the break has done him a world of good, for multiple reasons. The first is his voice: at points he sounded identical to the studio recording. A few laughs and coughs mid-song were a reminder that every note is live and in the moment — which, in this day and age, is a testament to the effort Lewis puts into managing his voice. The second is the new arrangements, breathing fresh life and variety into the setlist. ‘Pointless’, originally a 6/8 pop ballad, was reworked as a powerful rock ballad that crescendoed into a cathartic release in the bridge. Lewis also gained a new band member since his return from hiatus, multi-instrumentalist Ciaran McEneny, whose playing added real depth on many of the tracks, such as his trumpet solo on the set-opener ‘Hollywood’.

With these Hyde Park shows being a monumental occasion for Lewis, he had a special guest lined up for each. After bringing out Sam Fender the night before for ‘Rein Me In’, tonight Lewis went back two decades further, bringing out Luke Pritchard of The Kooks for the band’s hit single ‘Naïve’. It was a full circle moment for Lewis, as the band’s set at Reading Festival in 2006 was a catalyst that helped inspire him to become a musician that could perform on the world’s biggest stages. And while Lewis almost doubled as a comedian between songs — joking about taking everyone’s ticket money, or about the gig being so sold out they couldn’t fit a single other person in  — his humility was on display too, as he took the time to bring a young fan up on stage for a photo with their idol. It’s small moments like that which remind you why Lewis is the powerhouse he is in the UK, and why he’s spending his summer playing to hundreds of thousands of fans. Earlier, he reflected that he once thought he’d never return to the stage at all after what happened three years ago. If only 2023 Lewis knew what a performer — and person — he was going to become.