The day kicked-off with a bang, when X- Factor judge Tulisa took to the main stage to sing two new songs from her debut album. Launching an attack on the ex-lover behind her recent sex tape scandal, she stuck a finger up at the 60,000 strong crowd and invited them to join her in publicly mauling him.
Professor Green followed Tulisa on the main stage, giving a confident, energetic, and crowd-pleasing performance.
He opened his set by announcing Wireless as the ‘biggest f***** audience’ he’d played to all summer. His nerves didn’t show as he ferociously rapped his way through a number of chart friendly tracks. Biggest cheers (and mass audience participation) came for his encore, the No.1 hit and Emeli Sande collaboration, ‘Read All About It’.
Over on the Pepsi Max stage, British singer-songwriter Delilah lived up to recent music press hype.
A striking presence in camouflage jacket and knee-hi dominatrix style boots, she captivated the audience with her soulful and haunting voice.
Heartbreak and versatility framed her set as she stunned the crowd with a track list that compassed a cross of genres such as dub- step, soul, trip- hop, and R&B.
Her last release, ‘Breathe’, and the debut single, ‘Go’ (which carries a heavy sample from Chakka Khan’s ‘Ain’t Nobody’), were met with astounding reception.
Labrinth did his best to outshine Delilah, and very nearly succeeded until he was let down by poor sound quality inside the Pepsi Max tent.
An exuberant performer, he carried on regardless, and got the masses bouncing along to the cheery and catchy single ‘ Express Yourself’.
The Hackney-born star turned things down a notch with a beautiful, acoustic version of his debut hit, ‘Let The Sun Shine’.
A massive crowd hurtle ensued as he launched into the mega selling single‘‘Earthquake’, which concluded a lively but inconsistent set.
Proving you don’t have to sell millions of records to make an impact at a commercial festival, up- and-coming South London soul singer Josh Osho took to the tiny Bandstand Stage and became the surprise highlight for many.
Blessed with a powerful and silky voice, he also displayed his flair for epic song writing on tracks such as ‘S.O.S’, and ‘Redemption Days’.
A cover of the Alex Clare hit ‘Too Close’, went down a storm with the younger crowd, and worked exceptionally well in acoustic format.
As the rain started to pour down, the Wireless crowd waited in anticipation for U.S. hip-hop star and female powerhouse, Nicki Minaj to take to the main stage.
Sporting a typically colourful outfit (and bright blonde wig), she was greeted with a frenzied response. The Wireless crowd just couldn’t get enough of the eccentric performer and her foul-mouthed banter. From firing a dry- ice gun into the crowd, to performing hits such as ‘Moment 4 Life’, ‘Starships’ , and ‘Superbass’, she proved to be festival gold and kept the damp punters smiling through the rain.
Deafening screams were heard all over Hyde Park as headliner Drake took to the stage.
The charismatic rapper was completely at ease with his huge audience(who were gradually getting wetter and wetter as heavy rain set in), revealing that ‘London is like a second home’, and requesting that they chant along with his rhyme: ‘ I don’t give a f*** about the rain tonight cos I’m here to watch Drake go insane tonight’.
His adoring fans responded immediately and sang along to the short bursts of rapping at the start of the set.
Drake performed two storming collaborations- ‘Crew Love’, with The Weekend, and ‘Make Me Proud’ with Nicki Minaj.
Racing through rap numbers, ‘She Will, and Headliners and Practice, Drake’s vocals shone through on his slower, R&B tracks- sounding smooth and effortless.
The obvious encore had to be -and was, the Rihanna duet, ‘Take Care’. The Barbadian superstar didn’t appear in person but her vocals were sampled throughout the track.
She closes the festival tomorrow and is sure to successfully round off a fierce, dance-tastic Wireless 2012.
Photos courtesy of Wireless Festival