3:15 pm, main stage The Grid. This time point should have belonged to the name written on the program list, but Reading 2026 chose to reveal it only on the day of the performance: Lola Young was on stage.
The London singer who became popular with "Messy" will make her R+L (Reading+Leeds) debut on Sunday, August 30, the afternoon at the end of the Reading Music Festival. It is worth mentioning that this surprise performance only takes place at the Reading venue in the south, and will not be available at the sister venue Leeds in the north.
For Young, this was more than just an extra game. She canceled a tour in 2025 due to burnout, and had collapsed midway through a performance in New York before. During her recuperation, she spoke openly about undergoing addiction treatment and attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) to readjust her life. In an interview with NME earlier this year, she described her state as follows: "All the healing processes are never really over," but she is "definitely in a much better place" and is "ready and excited to perform and release new music."
