Vocal powerhouse Freya Ridings has disclosed an unconventional festival technique she learned from Beyoncé: donning four pairs of tights on stage. The 32-year-old singer explained that Queen Bey inspired this unusual performance hack as she prepares for the unpredictable conditions of the festival circuit.
Freya told the Daily Star: "Beyonce said she wears like four pairs of tights and so I wear four pairs of tights. You just gotta do what you've got to do!" After enduring scorching temperatures, rain, wind, and even a mid-song insect attack, the singer has accumulated a wealth of advice for festival-goers and performers alike.
Sun Protection and Hydration Essentials
Her top tip is not to underestimate the sun. She said: "Bring a massive hat, like a comically big hat, and SPF 50 – anything less isn't enough!" Freya also swears by electrolytes after facing extreme heat during overseas shows. "Especially when I am travelling and in places like Australia and New Zealand, it was like 38 degrees, almost 40, on those stages. When I touched the mic it was like sizzling. I've never experienced it that hot," she added.
The Lost Without You hitmaker noted that the humidity actually helped her vocals, but she now never travels without hydration essentials. Her most recent album, Mother of Pearl, was released in May, and she continues to deliver emotional performances worldwide. This year, she will perform at Alex James' Big Feastival.
Battling the Elements and Insects
Freya admits festivals can be a battle of survival, revealing she once performed an entire song with a bumblebee sitting on her hand. "I was playing Latitude on the main stage and a bumblebee decided to land on my hand. For the whole of Lost Without You there was a bee on my hand," she said.
She added: "Festivals are like an extreme sport – it's how much sun, wind, rain, insects can be thrown at you and can you still play anyway?" According to Freya, the most extreme festival is Glastonbury, insisting that "if you sound good at Glastonbury then you sound good everywhere."
