(Reviews by Martin J Fuller & Jess Kemp)
‘VARIOUS ARTISTS’ – ‘BRIGHTON & HOVE PRIDE’, PRESTON PARK, BRIGHTON 1.8.26 (DAY ONE)
‘Brighton & Hove Pride‘ returned to Preston Park to celebrate “The Power of Love” and its 35th birthday this weekend with a jam packed schedule of entertainment for everybody!
‘Pride On The Park’ supported by Hayu on Saturday August 1st and Sunday August 2nd featured showstoppers including global icon Diana Ross, the sensational RAYE, Frankie Goes To Hollywood star Holly Johnson, Spice Girl Melanie C, Leigh-Anne, Jessie J, Self Esteem, with RuPaul and Paris Hilton glittering in our 2026 Icons slot.
Traditionally Saturday’s ‘Brighton & Hove Pride‘ is the day for hedonism. Unfortunately, most of the down from London or DFL’s as we Sussex types like to call them, (a term coined in a small publication by a Bonfire society in Lewes by the way) partied hearty on the Thursday and Friday and were looking for like people from the Walking Dead by the time Saturday came around with the parade and then to ‘Pride In The Park’ at Preston Park for the main event. Something made more glaringly obvious by the descent of new sparkly, fresh faced and soberish revellers coming down on the train that day.
No matter what you think of the way Pride itself has evolved, and there are MANY views on this, (which would be better covered in another longer and thoroughly researched essay), there is absolutely no doubt that ‘Brighton & Hove Pride’ throw a damn fine party over the weekend.
Saturday is and was and probably always will be the day that most come down for. It’s a more ramped up vibe with attendees looking for hedonistic release. It always has the larger numbers, and revellers leave the park to continue partying in town at venues like Revenge and The Actors into the early hours and the next day.
For my money Sunday is always the better day of the two. Infinitely more relaxed and usually featuring the main draws of the weekend. This year it was the absolute living legend that is Diana Ross. To say excitement was at fever pitch was an understatement. With other LGBTQIA+ luminaries performing including Paris Hilton, Holly Johnson formerly of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, the controversial band who some DJ’s refused to play due to their overt and blatant LGBTQIA+ imagery both in videos, artwork and lyrical content. Lastly, but never least, everyone’s favourite Spice Girl Mel C offering a DJ set. It was set to be a barnstormer of a day.
Saturday 1st August:
Today’s reviewing duties are shared by Jess Kemp and Martin J Fuller, and our photographers on the case were Sara-Louise Bowrey and Mike Burnell. Sunday 2nd August reviews can be read HERE.
MOONCHILD SANELLY (Main Stage 13:10 – 14:00)
We arrived at the park later than intended as the parade ran late. An hour late! So we missed the legendary Bimini and only managed to catch the last few songs from Moonchild Sanelly’s set. Now I had been wanting to catch Moonchild for a while as the ‘buzz’ around her has been building for a long while so securing her for Pride this year was a no brainer. You will have come across her visually, but maybe not audibly.
If you have not heard or seen anything about her, allow me to introduce you. Sanelisiwe Twisha, known professionally as ‘Moonchild Sanelly’ hails from South Africa and refers to her music as “Future Ghetto Punk.” Known for outspoken views on female empowerment and sexual positivity, she sings in Xhosa and English. The music draws from house and dance-pop, hip-hop, and dancehall, somehow, she manages to blend her source material deftly to create something taking the best from each but fusing into a sound which is both refreshingly new and familiar at the same time. The debut full length album ‘Rabulapha!’ translates from Xhosa as ‘Sip This.’ What better name could you give an album which invites you to sample from a blend of both R&B and Amapiano Beats? Rapidly gaining celebrity in her home country she reached international audiences when she collaborated with Beyonce, Major Lazer, Gorillaz and others. The second album ‘Phases’ blends South African dance genres including gqom and Amapiano as well as left-field pop. In 2025 the artist dropped what she calls her “…rawest and most honest work”, the album ‘Full Moon’.
Now you know a little more about her I think you can appreciate how special an act she is. A visual feast from the start the music is infectious. Seducing you into dance immediately. Programming her to take the stage so early seemed like a strange choice to me, but then I do find myself questioning the programming at Pride. Take for example programming Sonique and Beth Ditto Legends slot on the Main Stage at the same time Fatboy Slim in the DJ tent?! People were still complaining about missing Ditto last year, this year. Many claimed that they did not know Ditto was playing, even though it was on the poster. If Pride can take the opportunity to redress this with both Sonique and Ditto and invite Moonchild back for a later slot, it might go a long way with the audience and artists. Do take an opportunity to look at Moonchild’s albums and collaborations.
(Jess Kemp)
LEIGH-ANNE (Main Stage 14:20 – 15:10)
Leigh-Anne full name Leigh-Anne Pinnock is the pop and R&B artist who is best known as a member of Little Mix, yes THAT Little Mix. OK you have no idea who Little Mix are. They are the British girl group and X-Factor champions who had six top ten albums. She is now, like the other members embarking on a solo career. The debut single ‘Don’t Say Love’ was released in 2023 and followed by the first EP ‘No Hard Feelings’ in 2024.
Yet another insanely danceable artist programmed a little too early. Leigh-Anne still gave her performance everything, as all professionals always do. Stand out songs on the day were a cover of the classic Bob Marley and the Wailers ‘Could You Be Loved’ and ‘OMG’ from the ‘No Hard Feelings’ EP. The latter of which is catchy as hell and will no doubt be remixed for the club dancefloor. It is a real hip shaker. Watch out for Leigh-Anne storming her way up the charts and playing on rotation on a radio station near you.
(Jess Kemp)
RUPAUL (Main Stage 15:20 – 16:10)
Having followed Pride Parade through the city before making the walk up to Preston Park, I arrived just in time to catch part of RuPaul‘s DJ set, the legendary drag icon cut an imposing figure in a striking white suit paired with a black shirt, confidently strutting the length of the catwalk and orchestrating the crowd while dropping a succession of banging dancefloor fillers. It was exactly the kind of glamorous, unapologetic celebration that Brighton Pride has become famous for.
(Martin J Fuller)
G FLIP (Main Stage 16:40 – 17:30)
First up after Ru Paul, (which I will continue to kick myself for missing), I am and will always be a huge ‘Drag Race’ fan. Not just UK, oh NO we watch all the variations on a theme in this house. G Flip, however, was new to me, but my festival partner has a young daughter, so she filled me in on exactly how popular she is with the tweens and early twenties in the audience. Indeed, we got a potted history from a group of ladies who fell somewhere in between those age brackets. That is her fan base. You need to take into consideration the mothers of those humans who may or may not have heard all her tracks and occasional covers more than their mini humans or at least think they have. So, the 30/40/50 somethings are also aware of their oeuvre. We were extolled and indoctrinated into the artist’s music as we walked toward the stage to catch her set.
As we approached, she was covering ‘Cruel Summer’, a Taylor Swift track. I know Swift more than G-Flip, how could I not? But amongst the younger audience G-Flip might as well have been Diana Ross.
G-flip is/ was best known as a D-J who is apparently dating a human from a reality TV show which I’ve never heard of. Now what impressed is me immediately was that despite her back story she is a multi-instrumentalist, with no small talent. Think Robyn if she played everything herself. Talking of which when will Robyn play Brighton Pride? Surely that’s a no brainer right there what with the new album and all? Just saying. I digress.
The music itself is pure mainstream pop-rock with a little electronica scattered in for good measure. Stand outs played on the day were ‘The Worst Person Alive’, the video for which features G-Flip playing drums and singing in a way that we’ve not seen since Phil Collins was in Genesis, however she’s doing it on the back of a moving trailer van, beat that Phil. Also, the cover of Taylor Swift’s ‘Cruel Summer’, which almost made me want to listen to Taylor Swift. OK I admit it I like Swift, but I don’t own any of the multiple formats her music is available on, I dislike how damn good to woman is at prying pocket money out of young people’s hands especially when were in such a dodgy situation economically world-wide, but then when have we ever needed escapism more? G-Flip won me over with her pop-tinged rock offering. If nothing else, it should get more girls drumming.
(Jess Kemp)
SELF ESTEEM (Main Stage 17:55 – 18:45)
I have been slow, unusually slow in embracing Self Esteem (never have I written more of a revealing sentence in a review), but warmed to her I have. The current dash of Atwood styling to the stage outfits and formation dancing probably have a lot to do with this, not to mention one of my oldest friend’s fervent recommendations having seen her concert at the Brighton Centre. I don’t know what didn’t click for me before now, why I was so resistant, but resistant I was. I am on occasion very stubborn when everyone and his wife is telling me to embrace the latest music. I don’t like being told what to listen to or the phrase, this should be right up your street. Rarely is it, apart from recommendations by friends who have known me for decades, our photographers Mike Burnell and Sara Louise-Bowery or the boss man in chief himself Mr Nick. They rarely get it wrong.
Now here she was, performing on Brighton Pride’s main stage, the definitive seal of approval. It’s a difficult and nerve-racking thing to sing to a live audience and without an instrument to hide behind. The most renowned singers continue to get crippling stage fright throughout their career. But to dance, and not just dance, but complex choreographed set performance pieces? Not that IS next level. Not only does Self Esteem sing and dance, but she does so with added professional dancers and sings live. Usually, singers use a backing track, but not for her. It’s as if she actually enjoys the masochism, because that is one hell of a lot to coordinate while keeping pitch and remembering all of your lyrics, even if you did write them yourself.
There’s a little of the Anna Calvi wobbles occasionally in Self Esteems vocal delivery. The set opened with ‘I Do And I Don’t Care’ which set the eerie tone that comes with those puritan outfits. The spoken word section weaving a suitable spell over the audience. Now her current tour is usually delivered in a grand spectacle style, but it worked so well on the Pride stage which is specifically set up to offer spectacle. There’s a touch of the ‘Felt Mountain’ era Goldfrapp to her delivery as well, again no terrible thing. I bet Alison is kicking herself for not donning a puritan outfit herself now, such is her penchant for a set piece and theatrical delivery for an immersive experience. Talking of which has Goldfrapp played Pride?
I’ve been to and worked at so many Pride’s that the artists are all blurring into one in my dotage, so forgive me if they have and I’ve forgotten. But somehow, I really do think I would remember… I really loved ‘69’ as well, but then… who doesn’t? I’m referring to the number obviously. It really hit the right vibe for the day. I will make sure to see her do the show again before the opportunity passes me by.
(Jess Kemp)
www.musicglue.com/self-esteem
JESSIE J (Main Stage 19:25 – 20:15)
My first and favourite foray into Jessie J and her multi octave vocal was and is still my favourite of her tracks ‘Do It Like A Dude’. There was simply no way she would be foolhardy enough to leave it out of her setlist. The song itself and the accompanying video are stone cold classics. It’s worth noting that a then unknown dancer in the video would later go on to become FKA Twigs. ‘Twigs’ makes her first appearance roughly 18 seconds into the video, and then repeatedly throughout. Set in a variety of traditionally men only spaces the singer and multiple dancers writhe and contort themselves while pondering what it would be like to lead life as a man. To not have to worry about the slings and arrows of femininity under patriarchy. All the while they lift weights, thrust their hips and swagger in a way that puts most red-blooded Icels to shame. I really can’t recommend an afternoon watching it repeatedly and pondering your life choices. It’s an exercise in choreography, lyricism, vocal dexterity, styling and slick production. You won’t regret it.
Opening with ‘California’ a new track and ode to the state that she lived in from 2014-2024. In short, she had both me and the audience in her hand. Now, a huge amount has changed since ‘Do It Like A Dude’ entered the public consciousness. The star has been through Cancer and became a mother so as always expectations were low and criticism high. Critics said that her voice wasn’t as strong, she wasn’t physically, up to it. But I am not one of them. Aging changes a vocal. Luckily for Ms J she has a few to spare, and some. The issue was apparently that when she pulled the microphone away from her mouth so she could blast the vocal without deafening everyone it cut out. This is not the singer’s problem however and could very much be fixed by the sound engineer. So that’s the first thing out of the way.
The second, Jesus really? The woman is now a mother. She has literally changed every cell in her body. Forgive me but were you looking at another performer on another stage because to me she looked in incredible shape. She is also now living cancer free as she announced not that long ago. These two things individually are momentous and life changing. She’s done both and survived to return to performing. Allow the woman a little grace?! Second on the setlist was ‘Who’s Laughing Now?’, the tale of the formerly bullied finding success and revenge on the school bullies. As one Jessica who was always ill and occasionally picked on in youth, thank you it’s simply perfect. Then came my absolute favourite, ‘Do It Like A Dude’, which we have already discussed at length. I chose to leave on a high as I needed to be elsewhere. I may not have seen the whole set, but what I saw more than exceeded my expectations.
(Jess Kemp)
RAYE (Main Stage 21:00 – 22:25)
RAYE‘s much anticipated headline performance was an immersive theatrical production, effortlessly blending cinematic storytelling with moments of pure pop euphoria. Right on cue, her impeccably dressed orchestral band walked onto the stage in trademark evening wear as bursts of flamethrowers erupted at the front of stage, setting the tone for an unforgettable finale to the first day of the Pride’s celebrations. Moments later, RAYE emerged wrapped in a sumptuous faux fur coat before dramatically casting it aside to reveal a stunning sparkling red dress that glittered beneath the lights, her radiant smile and natural charisma lighting up the stage.
Launching into her 2023 No.1 hit ‘Escapism’, she immediately reminded everyone why she has become one of Britain’s most compelling live performers before slipping into ‘Beware.. The South London Lover Boy’. Alongside her extraordinary voice, one thing became clear throughout the evening: RAYE loves to talk. Whether sharing stories behind her songs, chatting with the audience or occasionally singing snippets of her conversations, she created the feeling of an intimate show despite performing to tens of thousands. She even confessed she’d had to drop one song from the set due to the 10:30 time curfew.
During ‘Skin & Bones’, a song about the realities of modern dating, she encouraged audience participation before pausing to reflect on what Brighton Pride meant to her. Having appeared here four years ago as a relative unknown, she spoke movingly about how the Pride audience had embraced her long before much of the music industry had, telling the crowd it was “an honour to play” and thanking the LGBTQ+ community for believing in her as an artist from the very beginning. Throughout ‘Worth It’, the audience seemed to know every word, while RAYE constantly exchanged smiles, jokes and affectionate comments with her musicians, repeatedly referring to them and the crowd as “my darlings.”
As the show progressed, RAYE demonstrated why she’s become one of the finest musical storytellers of her generation. ‘Oscar Winning Tears’, ‘Winter Woman’ and ‘Nightingale Lane’ unfolded like miniature films, each packed with dramatic themes and emotional detail. Violinist Kirsty became one of the evening’s secret stars, her soaring strings adding another layer of grandeur, particularly during the spectacular climax of ‘Nightingale Lane’, which built into one of the night’s biggest musical moments.
Supported by her two exceptional backing singers dressed in the same sparkling red ensemble, the set then shifted into a beautifully restrained down-tempo section that showcased the sheer quality of RAYE’s songwriting. A quality cover of Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ silenced the park before she sat down to deliver an extended, deeply emotional performance of ‘I Know You’re Hurting’, offering words of reassurance that “it’s going to be alright” to anyone struggling, appearing visibly moved whilst introducing the song. The tempo was dialled right up once more as ‘Click Clack Symphony’, her collaboration with Hans Zimmer, introduced sweeping cinematic textures that underlined just how ambitious her live show has become.
Having taken the audience through heartbreak, vulnerability and hope, RAYE closed by unleashing a run of songs designed simply to celebrate life. ‘Secrets’, ‘You Don’t Know Me’ (her collaboration with Jax Jones from a decade ago) and ‘Life Boat’ steadily increased the tempo before ‘Prada’ turned the park into an enormous open-air nightclub. ‘Joy’ arrived as an uplifting declaration of optimism, RAYE almost preaching to the audience as she celebrated resilience and togetherness before one final explosion of energy.
By the time the 2025 No.1 smash ‘WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!’ brought the set to its tumultuous conclusion, the entire park was bouncing in unison, with every chorus echoing far beyond the festival site. After an hour and a half of emotional highs, humour, dazzling musicianship from her band coupled with her world-class vocals, RAYE thanked Brighton Pride for being such a beautiful crowd and once again acknowledged the community that had championed her long before the arena tours and award ceremonies that have followed.
It was a fitting headline performance for a landmark anniversary: spectacular without ever feeling over-produced, deeply personal while connecting with tens of thousands, and further proof that RAYE has grown into one of the UK’s most captivating live artists.
(Martin J Fuller)
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Author: Nick Linazasoro
Music Editor
