“It’s important we go as close to 50-50 as we can.”
Emily Eavis has said she’s aiming to ensure that Glastonbury Festival‘s line-up for 2020 is “as close to” 50/50 gender-balanced as possible.
The iconic festival’s 50th anniversary next year will see Diana Ross performing the coveted Sunday afternoon Legends slot, and Eavis says that there will be plenty of other prolific female acts on the bill too.
“It’s important we go as close to 50-50 as we can. It’s as important to have females on the bill as much as men but the pool – certainly on the headliner front – is not as big,” she told MusicWeek.
“So we have to work on that as an industry and nurture all these women coming through.”
It comes after Eavis previously admitted that she and father Michael, who founded the festival, were passionate about improving the gender imbalance on the Pyramid Stage.
“Every booking Glastonbury make is conscious, we’re trying to address the imbalance,” she said.
“We’ve got a way to go, there are areas of the festival that have 50/50 (gender representation) like The Park last year.
“But The Pyramid obviously isn’t and we’re working on it.”
Diana Ross will perform at Glastonbury
Eavis comments come amid speculation that the festival could see a female headliner in 2020, namely Taylor Swift.
The ‘Shake It Off’ singer is currently leading bookies odds to headline next year, alongside the likes of Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar.
Meanwhile, Biffy Clyro yesterday described Fleetwood Mac as “cheeky bastards” for allegedly turning down a Glastonbury slot when they were able to negotiate a fee.
Speaking to the Daily Star, Biffy Clyro’s frontman Simon Neil said: “Look at Fleetwood Mac. There’s not enough money for them, those cheeky bastards!
“It is such a shame isn’t it? It’s not in the spirit of Glastonbury, it’s not about the money. If the Rolling Stones can do it, Kanye did it, U2, and you’re telling me Fleetwood Mac can’t? Fuck it, no way.”
