75-Year-Old Cat Stevens Shocks Glastonbury as “Wild World” Ignites a Full-Blown Rock Resurrection—Gen Z Screams Every Word, No Auto-Tune, Just Raw Soul and a Timeless Anthem That Set the Crowd on Fire

Yusuf Cat Stevens describes Glastonbury Festival as one of the best shows of his career | The National

Glastonbury 2023 was packed with rock powerhouses like Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses, and Blondie, but it was folk-rock legend Cat Stevens who delivered one of the festival’s most magical moments. With his acoustic guitar in hand, Stevens—also known as Yusuf Islam—brought a wave of nostalgia to the Pyramid Stage, leading the crowd in a soul-stirring rendition of Wild World.

Fifty-three years after its release, the song proved as powerful as ever, with thousands of voices rising in perfect harmony, echoing every word back to the legendary singer. Fans, both young and old, were stunned by Stevens’ voice, which sounded nearly identical to the original recording from 1970.

Glastonbury 2023 | Yusuf / Cat Stevens

Reflecting on the performance, Stevens described the experience as “something of a dream,” calling the overwhelming love and energy from the audience “beyond anything I’d experienced in Britain before.”

His 21-song set also featured classics like The First Cut Is the Deepest, Moonshadow, and Morning Has Broken, along with a heartfelt tribute to George Harrison with Here Comes the Sun.

Though Stevens once stepped away from the music industry, his Glastonbury performance proved that his music continues to transcend time, bridging generations and reaffirming his place as one of folk-rock’s most enduring voices.