SZA will save your summer

With Grammys, a Brit and bags of banging hits, if you don't know the surprise Glastonbury headliner then it's time to get familiar. Thankfully, Kate Solomon has all the info you need

- Kate Solomon

“Who is SZA?” a swathe of articles asked in the wake of the Glastonbury line-up announcement in March. “Why is she headlining one of the biggest festivals on Earth?” Google trends from around the time showed that enough people were searching those exact questions for it to be worth answering. But the people asking “huh?” just haven’t been paying attention. As the 34-year-old singer-songwriter gears up to headline Primavera Sound in Barcelona this week (and a host of other European and North American festivals across the summer), it’s time to make space in your live music schedule for her.

It’s not unusual to have to wade through spittle-flecked complaints in the wake of a festival announcement, commenters bemoaning from their armchairs the work done by a vast network of people who’ve pulled together acts that fit the vibe, the budget and the expectations of ticket-buyers. Festivals like Glastonbury and Primavera Sound have often taken a chance on an unexpected headline act – back in 2007, people were furious that Arctic Monkeys were headlining Glastonbury for the first time with just two albums under their belt. Look how that all turned out.