“I love it mate, so good,” says Dua Lipa, but her nonverbal reaction to the busker who insisted on playing his song to her at Glastonbury seems to tell a different story

Dua Lipa busker Glastonbury
(Image credit: Liam C/Instagram)

Songwriting isn’t always easy, but summoning up the courage to play something of your own to someone else can be just as difficult. Likewise, if you’re the person who’s listening and you’re not sure what to make of the song, it can feel a little… awkward.

Which brings us to Camden busker Liam C, who was bold enough to approach Glastonbury Friday night headliner Dua Lipa at the festival over the weekend and insist on playing her 30 seconds of one of his original songs so that he could get her reaction. And that reaction has certainly got people talking.

Liam isn’t lacking in confidence and, spotting that she was being filmed, Lipa could hardly say no. And, despite effectively being performed to under duress - not really the ideal artist/audience dynamic - she gives him his 30 seconds before drawing things to a close with a polite “I love it mate, so good”.

That’s not quite the end of the encounter, though, as - pushing his luck - Liam then asks for a goodbye hug. Again, Lipa obliges, before finally making her escape.

While some have praised Liam’s chutzpah, others have suggested that Lipa probably didn’t really appreciate being approached with a camera during her downtime and that it wasn’t really appropriate.

Either way, she handled it like a pro, and the video’s popularity means that Liam has got his moment in the spotlight. How long that will last remains to be seen.

Ben Rogerson
Deputy Editor

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.