Harry Styles is set to headline London's Meltdown festival in 2026, delivering a unique orchestral performance as part of the event he has personally curated. The one-off show is scheduled for June 16 at the Royal Festival Hall, located within the Southbank Centre, the festival's annual home.
The former One Direction star will take the stage alongside the Jules Buckley Orchestra, with its leader tasked with creating fresh arrangements of Styles' well-known songs. This collaboration marks a significant moment for the 32-year-old singer, who has previously worked with Buckley.
Speaking about the partnership, the "Watermelon Sugar" singer said: "Coming Up Roses (from his latest album 'Kiss All The Time, Disco, Occasionally,' released earlier this year) was my first time working with Jules. He's now helping us with the string arrangements for the 'Together, Together' tour. He's incredibly talented and such a generous collaborator. He's become someone I love working with. It was obvious as soon as Southbank asked me to curate Meltdown, it was the perfect opportunity to do something really beautiful with him."
The special event will also serve as a fundraiser for the Southbank Centre's charitable initiatives, which aim to support young people in the arts. Fans can win tickets through a prize draw opening on Wednesday. Entries are priced at £20 each, with a maximum of three entries per person, offering a pair of tickets to the 1,900-capacity venue.
Mark Ball, artistic director at the Southbank Centre, highlighted the festival's ethos: "Meltdown has always been about the greatest artists of our time taking creative control of the Southbank Centre's venues and shaping something that feels of its moment. This year, that spirit is matched by a clear charitable intent from its curator, to help sustain access to creativity for young people where it is needed most. Entries into this prize draw support the Southbank Centre's artistic and community programmes at a time when access to the arts, creative health and well-being for young people matter more than ever. It's a simple idea with real impact – an extraordinary cultural moment helping to sustain access to culture in the long-term."
Styles' curated line-up for Meltdown 2026 also includes performances from indie band Warpaint, Belgian electroclash group Soulwax, and British singer-songwriter Nilufer Yanya. He joins a prestigious list of past curators, including Little Simz, David Bowie, and Patti Smith. The singer is also set to embark on his 'Together, Together' tour this month, supporting his latest album, which includes a record-breaking 12 nights at Wembley Stadium.
