Diana Ross closes Glastonbury by saying farewell to Covid

Diana Ross closed the Glastonbury festival by saying farewell to the Covid pandemic.

The Supremes singer, 78, also told thousands of fans gathered at the Pyramid Stage she was “filled with thankfulness for each of you” as she played a set filled with her hits on Sunday evening. (26.06.22)

Referring to the global Covid lockdowns and her latest album, she said: “During these last three years, I’m going to call it a vacation, it gave me a chance to really think about the important things in life because I couldn’t go on the road, and the album is called ‘Thank You’.

“I want you to know how grateful I am for this life, I am filled with thankfulness for each of you, I love the idea of singing in the daytime… I can look into your eyes.”

She later told the crowd: “Feel the power of love”, and after announcing she had recently turned 78, Ross urged the crowd to dance with her as a line of security staff performed a routine to ‘Upside Down’.

The singer insisted she felt much younger, adding: “If I can move my body like this when I’m 48 years old… well, I feel 48 years old.”

She started her set with 1980’s ‘I’m Coming Out’, followed by renditions of ‘Baby Love’, ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’, ‘Stop! In The Name Of Love’ and ‘Chain Reaction’.

A slideshow of photos from Ross’ long career were shown to the crowd, and she also performed ‘I Will Survive’ and ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’.

Her set defied forecasts of rain, with the crowd wearing Diana Ross masks as the sun shone on the end of the first Glastonbury since 2019 after the Covid pandemic caused the 2020 and 2021 festivals to be cancelled.