Pop sensation Charli XCX was paid £900,000 to perform at Glastonbury Festival this year, despite claims of an autotuned set, the Mail on Sunday can reveal.
The singer, who had the headline slot at The Other Stage last Saturday night, drew a crowd of thousands of people and the stage had to be closed.
According to an industry insider, Charli XCX is one of the few acts to make money from the Somerset Festival while others are paid very little, or with free tickets.
The confirmation of Charli’s enormous paycheck comes after fans criticised the singer for her use of autotune throughout her set.
One wrote online: ‘This Glastonbury set by Charli XCX is one of the worst things I’ve ever seen in my life.
‘Barely singing, autotune in the rare moments she does sing a bit and horrendous dancing. Be fuming if you spent ages getting into that crowd only to see that.’
A row between the popstar and her critics then erupted with Charli responding to the vitriol on social media.
‘Really enjoying these boomer vibe comments on my Glastonbury performance. It’s super fascinating to me,’ she wrote.
‘Like the idea that singing with deliberate autotune makes you a fraud or that not having a traditional band suddenly means you must not be a ‘real artist’ is like, the most boring take ever. yawn sorry just fell asleep xx
The singer, who had the headline slot at The Other Stage last Saturday night, drew a crowd of thousands of people and the stage had to be closed
The confirmation of Charli’s enormous paycheck comes after fans criticised the singer for her use of autotune throughout her set
‘But to be honest… I enjoy the discourse. [In my opinion] the best art is divisive and confrontational and often evolves into truly interesting culture rather than being like kind of ok, easily understood and sort of forgettable.’
The singer has often been known to use pitch correction and autotune in her music and declared on Saturday Night Live that it ‘makes everything sound better’.
The star also admitted on the Tape Notes Podcast last year that she constantly uses autotune while performing.
She said: ‘[In my] early work, I could sing in tune, but now I think I’ve gotten so lazy because I sing with autotune all the time.
‘I never [go], ‘I’m not singing with autotune’. Unless I’m doing karaoke, which I actively don’t do, for this reason. I’m pretty out [of pitch] because my ear is so used to leaning in.’
Meanwhile, fellow headliner Rod Stewart has said he is making a loss to play at Worthy Farm.
The 80-year-old singer told the Radio Times that he was paid £120,000 and spent £300,000 to put on his show.
The singer has often been known to use pitch correction and autotune in her music and declared on Saturday Night Live that it ‘makes everything sound better’
Meanwhile, fellow headliner Rod Stewart has said he is making a loss to play at Worthy Farm. Pictured: On stage with Ronnie Wood
During Charli’s slot, the Scissors Sisters were performing on the Woodsies stage – and the also venue had to be closed as there were too many people there.
Charli XCX rose to fame with the viral album Brat which was released in 2024 and sparked a cultural phenomenon.
US presidential candidate Kamala Harris referenced the album in her election campaign in 2024 against Donald Trump.
It won the singer two Grammys including Best Dance/Electronic Album and the BRIT award for British Album of the Year in 2025.
