Reflecting on his time steering the event, Styles praised the collective effort of the participants. “This year’s Meltdown festival has been an incredibly special experience I’ll never forget,” Styles stated. “I’m so grateful to every artist who was part of the line-up for sharing their talent, generosity and creativity, and I’m incredibly thankful to the Southbank Centre for welcoming me into a space that has long been a home to unforgettable cultural experiences.”
The billing spanned jazz, alternative rock, electronic music, gospel, and contemporary classical, featuring performances from highly acclaimed artists including Warpaint, Kamasi Washington, Shabaka, Nilüfer Yanya, and Jon Hopkins.
The centerpiece of the residency was a sold-out, one-night-only concert featuring Styles alongside the Jules Buckley Orchestra and the House Gospel Choir inside the Royal Festival Hall. Created exclusively for the festival, the performance completely reimagined songs from across Styles’ catalog and served as a major fundraiser supporting the Southbank Centre’s charitable youth and community outreach programs.
Reflecting on stepping into classical arrangements, Styles admitted: “I’ve always been a lover of orchestral music, classical music, and it’s quite an intimidating field to step into as someone who doesn’t, cannot, read music.” However, he praised his collaborator for making the experience seamless, adding: “I met Jules and we worked together and I’ve never felt so welcomed into the space. He never made me feel like I didn’t belong there in any way, and it’s been beautiful collaborating with him.”
The festival closed with the debut of HOURGLASS, a sustainable nightlife project co-curated by Styles, Gideön Berger, and Caius Pawson. Powered entirely by emissions-free battery sound systems, the final twin club nights merged electronic music with climate action initiatives.
Offering a final word of appreciation to the audiences who packed the Southbank Centre, Styles added: “Thank you to everyone who performed, everyone behind the scenes, and everyone who came along and made it truly unforgettable.”
