Cardi B, George Ezra and Solange will all headline at this year’s Parklife, the UK’s largest metropolitan festival, held in in Heaton Park, Manchester on 8 and 9 June.
Having also been announced for London’s Wireless festival on 5 July, Cardi B is gearing up to be one of the festival hits of the summer. She became the first solo female rapper to have a No 1 song in the US charts for two decades in 2017, and recently announced plans for a follow-up album to her Grammy-nominated debut Invasion of Privacy. She recently made headlines for criticising President Trump during the US government shutdown, claiming “we need to take some action” to protect federal workers.
Singer-songwriter George Ezra caps a hugely successful year, having been nominated for three Brit awards: British male, British single and British album for his 2018 LP, Staying at Tamara’s. Its lead single Shotgun spent 13 weeks in the Top 5, including four at No 1.
Solange, sister of global superstar Beyoncé, has achieved international fame in her own right, winning a Grammy for her single Cranes in the Sky. She also received a Billboard Impact award for her denouncement of racism in her 2016 album A Seat at the Table. American singer Khalid adds to the R&B element of the festival.
Atlantan purveyors of party-rap anthems Migos will also appear, as will French pop singer Christine and the Queens, whose 2018 album Chris was named the best of the year by Guardian critics. The Streets will give their first festival performance in more than eight years, having begun a comeback with four new tracks released in 2018.
British DJ, producer and songwriter Mark Ronson will appear following the release of his fifth album, Late Night Feelings, having recently reached the Top 10 with his single featuring Miley Cyrus, Nothing Breaks Like a Heart. He also recently won a Golden Globe for best original song with Lady Gaga in the film A Star is Born, and is nominated for an Oscar in the same category.
Other major acts performing at Parklife include dance artists such as Eric Prydz, Major Lazer, Disclosure, Mura Masa and Chase & Status. DJs from the rest of the dance-heavy lineup include Ricardo Villalobos, Andy C, Bicep, Annie Mac, MK and Adam Beyer, though indie is briefly represented by local heroes Blossoms.
There will also be a strong showing from the thriving British rap scene, with Londoners Stefflon Don, Octavian, Yxng Bane, Loyle Carner and AJ Tracey scheduled to perform, along with one of the Guardian’s best new artists of 2019, Slowthai.
The non-camping weekend event is entering its 10th year and is managed by several well-known party organisers including the Warehouse Project. Tickets go on sale on 1 February.
