Festival attendees at the final day of the Reading Festival received an unexpected treat when singer Lola Young appeared for an unannounced performance. The artist revealed her appearance on social media shortly before taking to the venue's Grid stage, telling followers that the secret was out and encouraging them to gather for the show. During her time on stage, she delivered a selection of her popular tracks, including her chart-topping song Messy alongside One Thing.
Her appearance at the Berkshire event forms part of a gradual return to live music following an extended break. Last year, the musician stepped back from touring and cancelled multiple scheduled dates to focus on her personal well-being. That hiatus followed a frightening incident in September when she collapsed on stage during a performance in New York, prompting her to suspend all concert appearances indefinitely.
In subsequent public statements, she explained to supporters that she intended to use the time away to address personal health challenges and return with renewed strength. Media reports from that period noted she had sought treatment for substance dependency, a struggle she later discussed candidly in interviews. She had also been forced to miss the previous year's Reading Festival due to conflicting scheduling arrangements.
The singer began testing the waters of live performance earlier this year with an intimate concert in London. While describing the experience of returning to the stage as entirely natural, she emphasized a cautious approach rather than immediately committing to a full-scale concert tour. Her recent itinerary also included a performance at the Electric Picnic Festival in Ireland just one day prior to her appearance in Reading.
Although she released a reflective single earlier this year, followers are still awaiting news regarding a potential fourth studio album. Her surprise set added to a bustling closing day at the festival, which also featured performances by Florence + The Machine, Loyle Carner, and Kneecap. Meanwhile, the festival's sister site in Leeds concluded its weekend with headlining sets from Raye and Dave.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.
