By Ally Olis
Photo Credit: BBC / James Watkins.
Sunday (Day Three) at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend was the busiest and the last of the three-day festival. Bringing Niall Horan, Myles Smith, CMAT, and Olivia Dean to the same stage is bound to sell out. If you are one to even dabble in the concept of being a fangirl, then you were most likely to buy a ticket to this last day.
Perhaps it’s residual love for One Direction, maybe it’s just his undeniable and unstoppable charisma in addition to his music, but the love of the Irish was alive and well for Niall Horan. Once again on the 1:15pm slot, Radio 1 loves to put its hard hitters at the beginning of the day. If it had been hot every single day prior, then the temperature paled in comparison to the feeling in that crowd. To see a group of people as amped up to hear Slow Hands as they might have been in 2017, was a genuine marvel. Nice to Meet Ya garnered a few screams, along with Little More Time getting everyone up on each other’s shoulders. This Town and Heaven transported those of us in the audience who have been listening for the long-haul, to a very special place of nostalgia. It’s hard not to have affection for him and show up every time. Niall Horan is due to make his return to the North East in September, following the release of his newest album Dinner Party.
Next on the setlist was the second half of the recent Niall Horan bromance.
The crowd was in the highest spirits of the day when it came to Myles Smith’s set. From dancing to spinning around in circles, this might take the cake for the most enjoyable atmosphere of the day. You don’t need to be an avid fan to be able to recognise the tunes on his setlist. Nice To Meet You, Stay (If You Wanna Dance), and Stargazing are enough to make the most stationary person feel the rhythm of the music. Bringing out Niall Horan for the second time, they performed their newly released collaboration, Drive Safe, together to the adoring audience. Having seen Myles’ set at TRNSMT last year, he is definitely an act that keeps getting bigger and bigger, and keeps you coming back each time.
Another main stage act that deserves the utmost love and appreciation, CMAT brought a slice of the Euro-Country tour to the crowds of Sunderland. Opening her set with The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station, it’s indisputable that she knows how to have a good time and make sure everyone around her feels the same.
If moments could be encapsulated and shared with the next person you meet, I would share the moment she played Take A Sexy Picture Of Me. Starting a vulnerable discussion about the last time she played at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, when her physical appearance was a hot topic of conversation for the keyboard warriors out there, she reminded her audience that not only is she sexy, but she deserves to be celebrated just like everyone else.
If you’re in the market for a safe space and sense of community, the audience at CMAT is just the place for that. The end of the set was almost even stronger than the first half, with Euro-Country (with a shoutout to Dunboyne), I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!, and Stay For Something, all in succession. I hope to see her fanbase expand beyond belief.
Back again at the New Music Stage, and bringing a slice of Friday’s dance atmosphere to Sunday, was Jorja Smith, who practically filled the tent to the brim with audience members. Playing new songs such as I Lied, You Lied, to the live debut of What’s Done Is Done, I’ve yet to see a crowd as happy as those inside the tent for her set.
As if the space couldn’t get any more active, then came Little Things and On My Mind, which sent people into a frenzy. Be careful of pushing and shoving when Jorja Smith is on stage, however, as eager doesn’t even begin to describe the crowd’s mentality. If you’re looking to add a little boogie to your weekend, she is definitely an act to see.
And once again, as the evening wound down and the sun began to set, people prepared themselves for the last day’s headliner to take the stage.
I don’t think I’ve seen more polka dots in my entire life than in the crowd waiting to see Olivia Dean close the festival. Her remarkable pipeline from the BBC Introducing Stage in 2023, to main stage headliner, is completely deserved given the production and showmanship she displays singing songs that are inherently sweet and vulnerable.
Between Olivia, RAYE, and Ezra Collective, jazz has officially re-entered the conversation of mainstream music. An artist can only achieve this kind of growth with one full album when every single song on the album is worth a conversation, and that is exactly what Olivia Dean has done with her sophomore, The Art of Loving.
Dressed and staged all in pink, she gave the audience everything they wanted from Nice to Each Other, to Lady Lady, to So Easy (To Fall in Love), Baby Steps, Dive, and Man I Need. I’d have been surprised if there was a dry eye in the house. An exceptional use and highlight of her jazz ensemble brought an unexpected groove to her performance as well.
However, if you were hoping to see her do her live rendition of I’ve Seen It – like so many of us were – it would seem you’ll just have to catch her at one of her many solo shows, and maybe you’ll be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Sam Fender for Rein Me In, as well.
Overall, BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend has a special place in my heart as both an attendee and a reviewer. Its accessibility and commitment to making you go out of your comfort zone, even in terms of places in the United Kingdom you’ve never travelled to, makes it one of the best experiences you can have, particularly if you are just starting your festival-going journey.
This last day was a strong 4 ½ stars, and a beautiful cherry on top of a long and hot bank holiday weekend in Sunderland. I am eager to see which city they choose next.
Photography Copyright 2026 © BBC Public Service.
Text Copyright 2026 © Ally Olis/ADRENALINE Magazine.
Patrick Maloney