Muddy Boots & Main Stage Magic: Sunday at Leeds Festival
Find out how a thunderstorm was no match for a star-studded lineup at Leeds Fest 2026.
And just like that, the final bank holiday has come and gone, marking the last few weeks of summer.
We can’t complain, really; this season has treated us to glorious sunshine and enough heat to make us briefly forget we live in the UK. So, naturally, it felt only right to end it in true British fashion: in a muddy field, braving a thunderstorm, and enjoying some incredible live music.
For the Love of Music
A few factors led to my Sunday at Leeds Festival. Mainly, I’d never been, and crossing it off the bucket list before turning 30 felt essential. (FYI: if you're over 25, you will feel like an ancient relic. Just embrace it). Nothing cemented this feeling quite like being ID’d, watching the bartender check my birthday, and getting a candid"...fair enough." For those wondering, that roughly translates to “oh wow, you’re old”. I’ll take the compliment, I guess.
But, of course, the real deciding factor was the music. From Absolutely and Maisie Peters to JADE and RAYE, I was totally spoilt for choice with the day’s lineup. Once I saw Sombr was in the mix, my ticket was bought and my outfit chosen before I’d even thought about how I was getting home (Side note: we drove down and back for the day, no camping required, thankfully).
I accessorised with mandatory festival attire, including gold boho jewellery and Y2K sunglasses. If you look closely, you’ll also see the dark clouds start to foreshadow a little change in the weather…
My outfit for the day (pre-storm): brown halter top, dark denim skort, brown biker boots, and coloured belt.
Starting Off Strong
As soon as we arrived, the sun was shining – so much so, that I was on the verge of hunting down some suncream. Spoiler alert: the weather soon had other plans.
Luckily, we were instantly blessed with the vocals of Absolutely on the main stage. We managed to catch the end of ‘I Just Don’t Know You Yet’, which was as incredible as ever. Her voice never fails to amaze me.
Keeping it in the family, we headed over to see her sister Amma, who is just as much of a powerhouse. She threw in a cover of ‘Unwritten’ by Natasha Bedingfield, and I genuinely don’t think you’ve experienced true joy until you’ve joined a crowd of voices singing: “Release your inhibitions / Feel the rain on your skin”. I’m emotional just thinking about it.
On arrival, we were instantly blessed with the vocals of Absolutely on the main stage.
Our next act was Amma, who performed in the Canopy and proved talent clearly runs in the family.
Base Camp at Main Stage
Absolutely and Amma were the perfect prelude to the day, especially with their sister RAYE set to take the stage in the evening. Afterwards, we secured a good spot near the front of the main stage, which became our official base camp for the rest of the lineup. We went in to see Maisie Peters at 3pm and didn’t emerge until the end of RAYE’s set at around 9pm. Talk about bladder control.
During that marathon stretch, our North East diva JADE took to the stage. Her presence is undeniable, blending those angelic vocals with heavy house beats, and the younger audience went wild for the Little Mix medley she threw in (myself included, it took me back a good 10 years).
We got ourselves a good spot near the front of the main stage for the rest of the day’s lineup.
Maisie Peters performed some of her hit songs, including ‘Questions’ and ‘My Regards’.
JADE had an amazing set, blending angelic vocals with heavy house beats (and , of course, a Little Mix medley).
Feeling Sombr
Then came the moment I was waiting for: Sombr. He’s been on repeat for me throughout 2026 – ‘12 to 12’, ‘Homewrecker’, and ‘Crushing’ have easily made their way up my most played. So, getting the opportunity to see him live in the UK was just too good to miss.
Most importantly, I needed to experience a live performance of ‘My Body Isn’t Ready’ at least once in my lifetime, and fair to say – it didn’t disappoint. Right on cue, the heavens opened up, and Sombr stepped straight out into the pouring rain with us. Soon, he was belting “I want you, but the mirror won’t let me”, the dark skies matching the melancholy so perfectly it almost felt deliberate.
Torrential rain, smudged eyeliner, raw vocals, and gut-wrenching lyrics… it was modern cinema. Totally worth getting soaked for. (Shoutout to my £4 poncho, the real hero of the day.)
Sombr brought some of his biggest hits to stage including ‘undressed’ and ‘12 to 12’.
Torrential rain, smudged eyeliner, raw vocals, and gut-wrenching lyrics… it was modern cinema.
A Raye of Sunshine
By the time we were waiting for RAYE, that cinematic shower had escalated into a full-blown thunderstorm. I don’t think you could even call them raindrops at that point, but rather rain missiles – they were that heavy. I’m not even being dramatic.
But, the second she stepped out onto that stage, any lingering self-pity completely evaporated.
RAYE is incredible. No genre is off limits: jazz, rap, dance, pop... she has the raw talent, passion, and artistry to pull off absolutely anything, backed by a phenomenal band and horn section. Every single piece feels like a high-production film score, vibrating straight through your bones and into your soul.
The crescendo of ‘Click Clack Symphony’ (feat. Hans Zimmer) always hits home through my headphones, so hearing “The cold never lasts, my darling / It just teaches the heart how to burn” live was something else entirely. It summed up the overarching message of RAYE’s entire set perfectly: HOPE.
And, afterwards, as I squelched through the mud back to the car, that feeling stuck. Despite damp clothes, aching feet, and exhaustion setting in, hope is what I left Bramham park with – a genuine hope that everything, no matter what, is going to be okay.
As the sun went down, RAYE brought some of her dance tracks to life with a nightclub segment.
RAYE and her band put on an incredible set, leaving the audience with one word on their minds: ‘HOPE’.
