Emily Eavis: Jay-Z broke boundaries with the set of Glastonbury | show news

Emily Eavis thinks Jay-Z headlining Glastonbury broke all the “boundaries” of the festival.

The ’99 Problems’ hitmaker was the first hip-hop artist to headline the world-famous event when he took the stage in 2008, and the organizer believes it has proven to be a key moment in the festival’s history because “anyone can head anywhere” now.

She told Britain’s GQ magazine: “I booked Jay-Z because I thought it would knock him out of the park, because he’s an amazing artist and one of the best hip-hop artists in the world.

“It changed the perception of a Glastonbury headliner.

“Anyone can headline anywhere now, there are no limits.

“It’s totally normal to see Stormzy headlining, but at the time, it was a lot of white guitar music.”

These days, the lineup has a more even gender divide, which Emily insisted was a necessity.

She said: “It was an obvious change that had to happen.”

Emily believes that part of Glastonbury’s appeal is the way it celebrates ‘alternative ways of life’.

She said: “We do environmental campaigns, we do politics, we do everything.

“All kinds of alternative life forms are advocated, so it stands apart.”

In 2019, Glastonbury banned plastic bottles, which was no easy task, and while Emily estimates they reduced plastic waste by 1.6 million bottles, she had a bigger goal in mind.

She said: “It’s an example of prohibition working. Glastonbury is a [temporary] city ​​the size of Oxford.

“If we can do it, there’s no reason why Oxford can’t do it and then London.”

And then he has his sights set on the potato chip packets.

She said: “I’m obsessed with finding a compostable potato chip pack.”