To celebrate Wireless Festival’s 20th anniversary, Canadian rapper Drake made history becoming the first artist ever to headline all three days – and he didn’t disappoint.
For its 20th anniversary, Wireless Festival made a bold choice in inviting Drake to headline all three days of the prestigious event. Despite receiving backlash for the never-before-done move, Drake didn’t disappoint and brought out an all-star cast of surprise guests that had the crowd jumping and singing their hearts out the whole weekend.
This year, each day had a different theme: Friday (old-school R&B), Saturday (UK rap), and Sunday (Afrobeats). I attended both Friday and Saturday, and I had the best time ever. On both days, I was in crowds of up to 50,000 attendees each day. According to Capital XTRA, there was a confirmed total of 150,000 people over three days.
Knowing that the event would attract a huge crowd, my friend and I stayed at the back, and there was enough space for us to dance and see the stage, which quickly came to life with Drake’s special guests.
Drake’s best friends join the stage
Friday was my favourite day, and Drake knew how to start his three-day run with a bang. Not only was the crowd all hyped up by Summer Walker and PARTYNEXTDOOR, but Drake also brought Bobby V, Mario, Giveon, Bryson Tiller, Lauren Hill, and even Kehlani made a small appearance during Kwn’s set.
So many iconic artists in one night. I wasn’t expecting Mario and Bryson Tiller, two of my favourite artists, to come out and perform their biggest hits. It was the cherry on top, and one of the best moments of Wireless.
Saturday was a celebration for rap fans. The flyer simply teased ‘The Mandem’ without any explanation, which left fans wondering if it was even worth it to buy tickets. Let me tell you, it had the biggest crowd of the weekend.
Big names like Central Cee, Dave, J Hus, Skepta, Headie One, K-Trap, as well as some US rappers: Yeat, Sexyy Red, Latto, and 21 Savage. But what shocked me the most was a complete change of pace thanks to Vanessa Carlton’s live-performance of ‘A Thousand Miles’ to wrap up the night – a moment no one saw coming.
From the headliner himself, I loved how Drake blended old and new songs from his albums, changing up the setlist each day. To show his love for the UK, he flew – literally – around Finsbury Park as Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’ as fireworks lit up the sky.
For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror’s Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox.
His love for the UK goes beyond music
Drake kept saying that the UK was his ‘real home’, also claiming UK rappers are better than the ones from the States. The rapper even took a shot from his cup when fans started screaming “F*** Kendrick”, as per his decade-long feud with rapper Kendrick Lamar.
Over the years, Wireless Festival has received some negative reviews, especially concerning aspects such as organisation, last-minute cancellations, accessibility and value for money, which made me hesitant. For example, in 2024, four acts – including Tyla and Digga – suddenly dropped out. Also, Sunday’s set had an early closure due to the Euros final between England and Spain. However, this year was a year of improvements.
Wireless Festival 2025 came well-prepared. They had water stations, cooling areas, medical assistance regular updates through their app, and a lot of security. Famous brands, like Liquid IV, one of their sponsors, had a tent where festival-goers could visit and hydrate themselves with their latest electrolyte products.
To help me with the scorching heatwave temperatures, I drank Liquid IV’s newest electrolyte mix – and it was a lifesaver. Not only did it keep me well hydrated and energised throughout the day, but it also gave me a good night sleep, waking up refreshed the next day.
My experience at Wireless Festival, as a first-time attendee, was quite positive. The experience was well worth it, thanks to the number of surprise guests. My friend and I sang our hearts out to each song, and woke up the next day with a raspy voice. In short: good music and good vibes all around. Was it worth it? Definitely. Would I go again? Maybe not during a 30 degree heatwave, but if the temperatures are cooler than yes – most likely.
Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We’d love to hear from you!