Words and photos by: Lucy Williamson
Boardmasters made its return in true sun-soaked style with a stunning backdrop of ocean blues and golden sands, and an exciting weekend of live music and surfing!
This year’s festival brought a whole host of internationally acclaimed and up-and-coming acts to Watergate Bay with headline performances from Raye, Central Cee, and The Prodigy. Stunning sets from South West musicians, Essy Sparrow, Bailey Tomkinson, and Kate Hall.
And an extra wave of excitement with the new afternoon headline slots featuring Kaiser Chiefs, Rizzle Kicks, and Natasha Bedingfield, who each brought their own pocket full of sunshine to the main stage!
Friday
Kate Hall
Opening the BBC Introducing line-up at The View stage on Friday afternoon, singer-songwriter Kate Hall brought an eclectic set of soulful blues with her band, truly setting the tone for the weekend ahead. Early in the set, she played her newly released track, Just A Girl, showcasing her warming vocals and heartfelt lyricism. She and her band performed a beautiful cover of Dreams by Fleetwood Mac. And the track Take a Minute was a highlight song of the set, with its shimmers of guitar licks and rich musicianship. She closed with Helpless, formally BBC Introducing Track of the Week, rounding off the set in style and marking herself as one to watch in the South West music scene.
FFO: Rae Morris, Mia Wray, Elle Coves
Bailey Tomkinson and The Locals
Hailing from Cornwall, Bailey Tomkinson and The Locals lit up the stage with their eclectic stage presence. A highlight of the set was their performance of the latest track, Supermoon. A song featuring melodic vocals floating over sparkling guitar tones, followed by a soaring saxophone solo. Cobalt Blue showcased the band’s seamless blend of musicianship. After the set, we caught up with Bailey and Jordan (guitarist) after their set to chat about viral TikTok antics, what it’s like being a full-time musician in Cornwall, and how they navigate their work-life balance of being partners and working and performing in the same band. Stay tuned for the interview on WhisperCast!
FFO: Daisy Jones and The Six, IDER, Taylor Swift
Afternoon set: Kaiser Chiefs
With the sun beaming down onto Watergate Bay, special guests Kaiser Chiefs took the afternoon headline slot, bringing boundless rounds of energy to the sun-soaked festival. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album Employment, it was a reckless excitement of anthemic tracks and fan favourites, launching in with Everyday I Love You Less and Less and, of course, performing I Predict A Riot and Ruby. Frontman Ricky Wilson’s high jumps and infectious energy were a particular highlight. What a blast!
The Wombats
Indie rock band, The Wombats, brought pure sun-soaked festival party vibes to Saturday afternoon! Kicking off with their latest release, Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want To Come, the band showcased some of their new material intertwined with bangers, Greek Tragedy, Pink Lemonade, and Moving To New York. Their energetic performance, punchy riffs, and high-tempo beats were matched by beaming smiles from the band and crowd! A clear reminder of why The Wombats remain such a beloved live act.
Raye
Headlining Friday night, Raye showcased her emotionally raw, in-depth songs with a stellar performance, with the audience clapping and singing (or as Raye calls it, audience percussion) throughout the set. Opening with Oscar Winning Tears, a perfect start to the set, she immediately set the tone for the performance ahead. A full orchestral band, Broadway-like lighting, and dressed in a beautiful, bright red dress with spotlights shining on the stage. Later in the set, she joked about how musicians love reverb because it’s like “singing in the shower” and asked the sound person to turn up the reverb for her next track. Later, she delved into new song, Susanne, a collaboration with Mark Ronson, TikTok hit Worth It, and turned the festival field into a nightclub with Secrets. A moving performance of Black Mascara proved a highlight, drawing swaying torches and tears throughout the crowd. Raye’s performance felt like a musical hug, and her quote on “music is medicine” could not ring more true. As she says, she plans to be doing this at 75, so we look forward to seeing a lot more of Raye!
Saturday
Malka
Bringing the party on Saturday afternoon was Malka, who delivered an energetic set of Latin-infused Dance Pop with her band at The View stage. Her vibrant, high-spirited stage presence got the crowd buzzing from start to finish. Before her performance of an unreleased track, Lolly Lolly, she handed out Chupa Chups to the audience as they grinned and danced to the sweet track. Recently released track, In Spanish, is a real earworm and I still have it in my head right now! If you’re seeking a spot of uplifting, happy music, be sure to listen to Malka. She’s one to watch in the BBC Introducing music scene!
FFO: J Lo, Selena Gomez, Anne Marie
Afternoon set: Rizzle Kicks
After some years on hiatus, the British hip-hop duo have made a nostalgia-infused comeback in 2025, and what a highlight of Boardmasters it was! Rizzle Kicks brought a modern twist to their set, performing newly released music and kicking off with Lost Generation and When I Was A Youngster. It was a real pinch-me moment when photographing the performance in the photo pit, that’s for sure. Energetic, feel-good, and a little bit of cheekiness that brought pure joy to the crowd on Saturday afternoon!
Ocean Alley
On early Saturday evening, psychedelic surf rock band Ocean Alley brought the dreamy glow of Tangerine skies to Mordros. Their sunny guitar riffs, reggae-tinged sound, and bouncy basslines felt tailor-made for the beachside setting. With a sea of hands swaying, fans truly repping the Ocean Alley tees met, and a roar of cheers after every song, their laid-back yet infectious energy cemented this performance as a festival highlight!
Nelly Furtado
Bringing back some nostalgia to the main stage, Nelly Furtado reminded why she remains such a pop icon with her 2000s hits I’m Like A Bird and Say It Right. The Canadian singer absolutely owned the stage, dressed in a khaki green outfit with amazing knee-high white boots decorated with shiny silver flowers, and wearing yellow-toned reflective sunglasses.
Central Cee
Closing the main stage on Saturday night, UK rapper Central Cee put on an explosive show with a pyrotechnic-fueled set that lit up Watergate Bay. Flames and fireworks coincided with his slick and bold stage presence. What a way to end the night of live music!
Sunday
Essy Sparrow
Opening the BBC Introducing line-up for Sunday against the newly taken-down sea-view backdrop, Essy Sparrow took to The View stage. The sun was shining directly onto the stage. Joined by her best friends as backing dancers and a full band, it was clear this was going to be an exciting performance, brimming with whimsical storytelling and a beautiful performance. Beginning with Girlhood – the first song she ever wrote – and continuing with Artists Dreamers, Essy’s heartfelt and poetic lyricism shone just as bright as the sun was shining. A highlight came with their performance of Are you too ashamed?, a song written with her partner, Tom, and a track that gained recognition via TikTok. Adding a theatrical twist, she and her backing dancers reenacted a scene from Little Women, drawing smiles from the audience and Essy and the band also performed a new song, which is set to be released in October, called Footnote, a song about feeling like you’re not enough in someone’s life, but realising your self-worth. Essy’s performance hints at her exciting new chapter as a freelance creative in Cornwall, and we’re super excited to find out what she has coming up in the weeks to come!
FFO: Phoebe Bridgers, Clairo, Laura Marling
Polly Money
Hailing from Falmouth, Polly Money brought an acoustic-tinged set that let her songwriting and musicianship shine on The View stage. Joined by Connor on guitar and Christina on vocals and cello, the trio created a warming, goosebump-infused set with Polly’s honeyed vocals and heartfelt stage presence.
FFO: Jo Hill, The Japanese House, Victoria Canal
Afternoon set: Natasha Bedingfield
On Sunday afternoon, Natasha Bedingfield brought a pocket full of sunshine to the main stage. Her soaring vocals were unreal. Confirmed, she has some powerful pipes! And she had the buzzing crowd singing along to timeless hits, with Unwritten taking centre stage. Mid-set, Natasha gave a heartfelt nod to Daniel Bedingfield about the musical roots they share. Closing the set, she rounded off with a high-energy club version of These Words. It was a fabulous set brimming with pop magic!
Myles Smith
Sticking with the main stage, Myles Smith kept the energy high. The Stargazing singer-songwriter arrived fresh off his tour with support from rising South West band, Tors. He and his band opened the set with Wait For You before leading into his hit tracks Whisper and Nice To Meet You. Myles brought his soulful melodies and catchy hooks, seamlessly blending folk, pop, and country into his sound. The band’s guitarists brought so much energy and were brilliant at crowd participation. What a set!
The Prodigy
Headlining Sunday night was the global phenomenon, The Prodigy. In short, you knew chaos was about to unfold. The lighting was a dim red, and the anticipation built as the rising beats began to rattle, leading into the opening tracks, Voodoo People and Omen. When Light Up the Sky began, frontman Maxim frantically jumped into the pit and ran up the aisle to immerse themselves in the crowd. The Prodigy brought an anthem of energy with Breathe and Firestarter. It was raw, relentless, and a set filled with bass, strobes, and pounding electronics.
After The Prodigy and a quick trip on the Ferris Wheel, the Whisper team took a quick venture around the festival site, truly soaking up the incredible atmosphere this festival brings each and every year. Thank you so much to Alex and the fab team at Gala PR for making this all possible.
BOARDMASTERS RETURNS FROM 5TH – 9TH AUGUST 2026 WITH THE NEW LOYALTY AND EARLY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT WWW.BOARDMASTERS.COM