'Making my dad 90 years Young'

EMILY Eavis was determined to book Neil Young as a Glastonbury headliner this year to mark her dad Michael Eavis’ 90th birthday.

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The festival creator reaches the milestone age on October 17 and his daughter Emily (pictured inset with her dad) wanted to ensure she could get Young - one of her father’s “favourite artists of all time” - to perform at the festival to celebrate his 90th year. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, she said: “Neil Young is one of my dad's favourite artists of all time, and mine. We've sort of grown up with him. He played in 2009, and it was an incredible set, so getting him back has been a really important thing for us - and especially in my dad's 90th year to have him back singing all his beautiful songs will be something very special.”

The other headliners are The 1975 and Olivia Rodrigo and Emily picked Matty Healy’s band to the top of the bill on the Pyramid Stage on Friday night because she wanted to “champion British rock music”.

Emily decided on Oliva as the third headliner after being stunned by her 2022 performance at Worthy Farm.

However, Emily - who is one of five Eavis children - admits she doesn’t always get to see the bands and artists she wants to over the course of the weekend because of her responsibilities running the festival site.

She said: “I try my best, but it depends on what’s happening on site at the time. But it is really important to watch because you're creating this huge show of artists, bands, and activities, and then if you miss them all, it’s a bit gutting.”

The festival is being held for the 53rd time and it has changed a lot since it began in 1970, when just 1,500 people attended.