Wireless Festival Lineup Hardly Any Women Cardi B Mabel

Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images.

Cardi B

Music festival lineups are notoriously male-dominated – so much so that we've become used to seeing mocked-up posters with the male artists' names blanked out.

Nevertheless, it's still shocking when a festival really misses the mark and hardly includes any women on the bill.

The latest festival facing criticism? Wireless, taking place in London's Finsbury Park from 6th-8th July, released its lineup today and just three of the acts announced so far are women.

There are no women performing at all on the Saturday. The depressing revelation was highlighted on Twitter by Luke Bailey.

Among the big male names due to play the festival are headliners J.Cole, Stormzy and DJ Khaled, as well as the likes of Wiley, Partynextdoor, Migos, J Hus, Giggs and Rae Sremmurd, while the only women are Mabel, Cardi B and Lisa Mercedez.

Wireless festival without the men is... not great pic.twitter.com/BrsxY7jYbi
— Luke Bailey (@imbadatlife) January 22, 2018

The festival also came in for heat last year when just five of its acts were either solo women or included women: Zara Larsson, Noname, Stefflon Don and Yuna, with The Age of L.U.N.A., which has a female member, Daniella Thomas.

Many people criticised this year's lineup on social media, with some highlighting various artists that would have been great additions to the festival. One woman on Twitter, @moya_lm, said she was disappointed because British women in particular are "fucking killing the genres Wireless represents".

"Also note lack of queer and nb or trans artists. I'm MAD u know, i thought maybe, just maybe this summer might show a little movement," she added.

Women - especially British women - are fucking killing the genres Wireless represents. Yet nowhere to be seen. Also note lack of queer and nb or trans artists. I'm MAD u know, i thought maybe, just maybe this summer might show a little movement.
— cardio b 🚨 (@moya_lm) January 22, 2018

"It's the fans who are getting screwed over. We're missing out some of the best musicians out there and instead getting... French Montana," she continued, pointing out that Ray BLK, Raye, Little Simz, H.E.R, Kehlani and Kali Uchis were absent from the list, while others said they'd also liked to have seen Stefflon Don and IAMDDB. (Ray BLK has since tweeted that she was asked to perform but declined.)

Sooooo did no women make good enough music last year to be blessed with a headline spot at wireless? Or even a spot on the poster at all.... seems odd @WirelessFest ??
— GrAy CloUd (@wolfganggray) January 22, 2018

Only 3 female acts on the wireless lineup 😬... been so many amazing records/projects out from women last year a well 🤷🏻‍♀️
— Lily Mckenzie (@LilyMckenzie) January 22, 2018

Wireless have released this year’s lineup and there’s only 3 women (out of 42) on the lineup so far. Thoughts? 🤔
— Belles Network (@BellesNetwork) January 22, 2018

imagine the scenes when cardi b drops bodak yellow @ wireless every single women in the crowd getting all types of gassed
— el 🦋 (@eleanorcheatle) January 22, 2018