Glastonbury 2024: Watch Michael Kiwanuka perform ‘Cold Little Heart’ on Pyramid Stage
Mercury Prize-winning singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka took to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon for a rousing performance, with ‘Cold Little Heart’ providing a stand-out moment as he neared the close of his epic set.
Previously to his outing today on the Pyramid Stage on June 29th, Kiwanuka last appeared at Worthy Farm in 2019 on The Park Stage. Last time round, he was on the brink of releasing his third album, Kiwanuka, which on top of winning the Mercury Prize, also was nominated for ‘Best Rock Album’ at the Grammys.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Kiwanuka was unable to tour the album as much as he’d likely have wanted, but once concerts finally resumed in 2021, he took the LP onto the road. While new music is still yet to arrive from the accomplished British artist, the three albums in his arsenal were strong enough ammunition to fire him through a sun-soaked set.
Although Kiwanuka is his most widely celebrated album, 2016’s ‘Cold Little Heart’ from Love and Hate captures Kiwanuka at his best, with the track sounding even more profound when it’s getting blasted live on the Pyramid Stage.
Love and Hate was Kiwanuka’s first record with producer Inflo, who he’s gone on to build a strong partnership with in recent years in his solo work, as well as part of the mysterious collective Sault, who the singer-songwriter joined at their debut live show in London in 2023.
With a running time of ten minutes, ‘Cold Little Heart’ operates as a lengthy album opener, which sets the scene for the rest of the record and the thoughts that were running through Kiwanuka’s head during the aching creative process.
He once said of the song to Mojo: “‘Cold Little Heart’ probably most describes where I got to after getting stuck in my own writing. Usually, I write songs in my room on acoustic guitar. But working with ‘Flo, I needed to try different ways to shake things up. ‘Cold Little Heart’ was the result.”
While Kiwanuka’s approach to his career has seen him opt for quality over quantity, and for that reason, he could never be described as prolific, his set at Glastonbury Festival has only heightened anticipation for his fourth album, whenever it finally arrives. Fingers crossed, the agonising wait doesn’t continue for much longer.
As his set, which saw him welcome old friend and collaborator Lianne La Havas to perform ‘Rule The World’, neared the finale, Kiwanuka unleashed his masterpiece, ‘Cold Little Heart’. Earlier in the show, his performance was temporarily marred by technical difficulties with his keyboard but Kiwanuka didn’t let this get to him, swiftly ditching his performance and remaining composed when many would have lost their heads.
Still to come on June 29th at Glastonbury, Little Simz is set to grace the Pyramid Stage before Coldplay headline. Meanwhile, Disclosure and The Streets will appear on The Other Stage before Disclosure headline.
Watch Michael Kiwanuka perform ‘Cold Little Heart’ on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury below.
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