Glastonbury, the UK's most iconic festival, is known for weaving political moments into its rich fabric of music, clubbing, comedy, spoken-word and wellness. And during her Saturday evening set, Olivia Rodrigo delivered one that will surely go down in Glastonbury history.
The American singer-songwriter brought out Lily Allen to dedicate Allen's song "F**k You" to the five Supreme Court justices who ruled on Friday to overturn America's constitutional right to abortion. As a result of the ruling, which puts the legality of abortion in the hands of each individual state, 26 states are certain or likely to implement abortion bans.
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Introducing the song, Rodrigo told the crowd: "I'm devastated and terrified [by the recent ruling]. So many women and girls are going to die because of this and I wanted to dedicate this next song to the five members of the Supreme Court who showed us at the end of the day they truly don’t give a shit about freedom."
Rodrigo went on to call out, by name, the five Supreme Court members who instigated this decimation of women's rights. "This song goes out to the justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh," she said, while Allen slowly raised her middle fingers up to the crowd.
olivia rodrigo at glastonbury name dropping the justices of the supreme court who voted to overturn roe v wade “we hate you” and then singing fuck you by lily allen to them yea that’s my girl. pic.twitter.com/BueiLOApNx
— bri (@strawberritom) June 25, 2022
Olivia Rodrigo bringing out Lily Allen to sing Fuck You and dedicating it to the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v Wade is not what I expected from Glastonbury but I’m here for it pic.twitter.com/xSJHvNqZT4
— LJW (@liamjamesward) June 25, 2022
Allen then said, "We hate you guys," before the pair launched into a spirited rendition of Allen's 2009 hit.
Allen's protest song was originally inspired by conservative U.S. president George W. Bush, son of another conservative president, George H.W. Bush. "Do you get a little kick out of being small-minded?" Allen sings in the song's second verse. "You want to be like your father, it's approval you're after."
Over the years, it's become more of a general protest song which she has also dedicated at live shows to Donald Trump, Theresa May and Liam Neeson.
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