There are Glastonbury moments and then there are Glastonbury moments. On Sunday afternoon, Canadian country-pop queen Shania Twain was the one to deliver the set of the weekend, strutting onto the Pyramid Stage dressed in a twister of glam, glitter, and cowboy cool to tackle the festival's hallowed Legends Slot.
The Legends Slot is Glastonbury's jewel in the crown, a spot set aside for the icons, the game-changers, those who have left permanent footprints on the world of music. From Dolly Parton to Diana Ross, the greats have made time for this midday moment. This year, it was Shania's turn, and she didn't disappoint.
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Starting her set with a bang, Twain performed the sassy anthem That Don't Impress Me Much, and the crowd, one of the largest of the weekend, roared in approval. Sun high, energy higher, Shania leaned into the sheer endorphin rush of it, smiling as big as those Worthy Farm fields.
"This is the greatest honor," she said, staring out at an expanse of cowboy hats. "I feel and I witness your solidarity. Thank you all so much for having me."
Dressed in full Nashville-meets-Glasto glam, Twain bounced from hit to hit, 'Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You), You Win My Love,' each greeted by a sea of delighted voices repeating along with every lyric. But it wasn't just the hits that made the set sparkle, but also her warmth: her presence and her absolute awe at the size of the crowd.
"I wanna stand next to you," she told the crowd, ascending to the barrier and waving, beaming and behaving like a seasoned Glasto vet, rather than a nervy grasscuty newcomer. "My shows are usually at night, and I only get to see a sliver of the audience … but I can see everyone, even the tents. It's really quite moving."
And there was a peak of emotion during 'You're Still The One,' a song that was more a slow dance with the audience than anything, and a lyric that appeared to float like magic in the afternoon air.
And then came the climax, Man! I Feel Like A Woman! a euphoric, all-in work-it-all-out singalong that sent the boots stomping, the glitter flying, and Shania's ta-tas away beneath the rainbow of confetti with a sincere, "Thanks for making me feel so at home here, Glastonbury, you guys rock!"
From beginning to end, Twain's set was everything a Legends Slot should be: reflective, celebratory, and coated with the sort of love only decades of making people feel something can produce.
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