Forwards Festival: Charli XCX announced for first ever Bristol festival appearance

Fresh from selling out her Alexandra Palace gig last week, Charli XCX has been confirmed as the main music headliner to hit the new Forwards Festival on the Downs this summer.

A Bristol festival debut, the singer is becoming known as Britain’s ‘main pop girl’ and will likely bring with her huge crowds of excited fans, especially following the recent release of her first UK number one album CRASH.

Performing professionally since 2008, Charli XCX (real name Charlotte Aitchison) has released five albums since being talent-spotted on Myspace and is known for ​putting her own spin on mainstream pop.

She’s behind some of the biggest tracks of the last decade, from hits like Out Out, I Love It and Good Ones, to collaborations with Cardi B, Rita Ora, Iggy Azalea, and David Guetta, right through to her landmark lockdown album ‘how i’m feeling now’.

Following on from her tour of the UK and North America, Charli XCX will excitingly take to the stage for the Saturday evening of Forwards Festival. She’ll follow Jamie XX, Little Simz, Khruangbin, amongst other well-known artists and acts.

She’s known for speaking out, stepping back from social media and focusing on her mental health, and it’s for this reason that organisers felt she embodies the essence of Forwards Festival for urgent conversations side by side with music.

This comes after her groundbreaking debut documentary Alone Together tested her creative limits and united a global community of vulnerable LGBTQ+ fans, making her a leading voice of a generation.

It’s clear to see why this headliner makes for the perfect collaboration. Forwards Festival is the biggest new international music festival for Bristol, and the first collaboration for AEG Presents and Team Love.

The 2-day festival challenges what metropolitan festivals can be today, kickstarting a new breed of city festivals by committing to positive change through social initiatives and a powerful platform for discussion.

They recently announced ​​a programme of speakers and popular culture voices from across the social and political spectrum to appear at their new stage, The Information. Former footballer John Barnes MBE will speak with Bristolian poet and active media spokesperson on the Colston Four trial, Lawrence Hoo, as well as Lemn Sissay, Jack Monroe, Shon Faye and Jay Rayner.

Day tickets are now available from £49.50, with weekend tickets available from £95 and the festival takes place Saturday 3 September and Sunday 4 September. Concessions are available for children aged 5-15, local residents, and low-income individuals. Gates open 12:00 with the last entry to the event at 20:00.