𝐬𝐤𝐚𝐢'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯

we arrive at the airbnb after a long exhausting flight from la. i flew to england in support of my close friend and peer solána who was performing at the glastonbury festival. i was in desperate need of time away from LA and work, and i thoroughly enjoyed festivals as you're always surrounded by music.

"i'm so fucking tired~" solána sings as she hops out of the car and stretched dramatically. "i'm gonna take a big fat nap."

i hopped out behind her, briefly thanking the driver before slamming the door firmly shut. everyone gathers their belongings and we all make our way inside. i admired the house that stood in front of us as england always had the classiest and cosiest airbnbs. 

the exterior of the home is adorned with ivy-covered stone walls and large bay windows that frame the stunning landscape, offered a breathtaking view of the iconic glastonbury festival grounds. inside, the house was an open-plan living area with exposed wooden beams, a cozy fireplace, and plush seating perfect for relaxing after a full day.

excited to also take my fat nap, i ran up the stairs, solána closely behind. i quickly scan the room options. after seeing the one i liked the most, i stood at the banister to yell down below.

"i call dibs on the room closest to the stairs!" solána pouts as she retreats out of my perfectly picked room.

"that's no fair, it has the prettiest view! i want it." she complains. i stick my togue out at her before smugly looking down at terrance, solána's manager, who was standing on the lower stairs and shaking his head in mock disapproval.

"how old are y'all again?"

we both laughed as terrance walked up the stairs, reading off his phone and switched back into manager mode. i was relieved to not be working on this trip, since i could simply enjoy myself. solána was already heading off to rehearsals despite the long ten hour flight.

when the house was empty and solána's team left, i used the time to unpack my toiletries in the bathroom and ordered some coffee to the house as the day has just began. i was planning on exploring the festival grounds and seeing the new talents as well as my favourite veteran artists' performances. i was also hoping to be sparked by some inspiration as my label has been bugging me to release a new single as soon as possible. maybe if i listen around for different sounds, i may gain some insight on the direction i would like to take.

music and i have always had a complicated relationship. it's like that lover who knows all your secrets, the one who sees you at your best and your worst. there are days when i can't imagine my life without it, when every beat feels like a heartbeat, every lyric is a confession. 

but then there are the other days. days when the notes don't come, when every chord feels forced and every word falls flat. those are the days when music feels like a demanding partner, relentless and unyielding, expecting more than i have to give. it's during those times that i feel trapped by it, like i'm chasing an elusive dream that's always just out of reach.

i've poured my heart into my songs, but sometimes i wonder if it's worth the pain. music demands everything from me—my time, my energy, my soul. it's a love that consumes, a passion that can leave me feeling hollow and drained. and yet, i can't walk away. because for every moment of struggle, there's a moment of pure magic. those fleeting instances when the music flows effortlessly, when i'm not just creating but truly living, make all the heartache worthwhile.

i snap out of my deep thoughts and start to get changed out of my comfortable sweat set to something more stylish and festival appropriate. i called the driver to park outside the house to take me to the grounds.

when i arrived, i felt submerged by the pure energy that glastonbury has to offer. the sprawling fields of somerset came alive with vibrant energy as the festival-goers were adorned in colourful attire and glitter. laughter and cheers synced with the melodies and euphoric performances all around, creating a constant hum of excitement.

for the next couple hours i wandered aimlessly, getting recognised almost everywhere but i didn't mind as much. i was high over tasting the different types of food that was being offered and checking out the performances before heading to the vip lounge to chill. solána called me to let me know where they all were and i joined the group as they watched, drank and vibed to the various performances down below.

solána and i remained close together for the entire night, laughing about old times and singing along to songs. solána holds her phone up at a high angle to take a snap of the two of us singing before bringing the device close to her chest to smile drunkly at the video.

i shook my head to laugh at how much of a light weight solána was. 

"hold on skai, isn't that your ex?" solána slurs slightly as she points towards the distance. wandering which ex she is talking about, since i have a thing for rappers that needs to be exorcised out of me immediately, i followed the direction of her perfectly manicured finger.

of course it had to be my most daunting and soul crushing ex. dani.

"yeah, i didn't know she was performing at this festival." i replied in a low voice, as dani now had my full attention. i leaned further onto the banister of the balcony as i felt body sway to the music. 

"i'm going to go walk around some more." i quickly inform solána before making my way out of the lounge. 

"mhm, sure..." solána replied rolling her eyes as i smiled sweetly at her.

i lied, i was on my way to get a better view of my ex's performance. but that sounds crazy desperate out loud so i kept that intention to myself.

ever since the bathroom run in, which is the worst place to run into an ex by the way, i couldn't stop the curious feeling i had towards dani. i entered one of the vip tents which had the best view of the main stage and ordered a drink as i vibed along to her performance. 

i'm simply appreciating music, separating the artist from the art. i thought to myself, as if i had something to prove, probably to my ego.

dani's stage presence was an intoxicating mix of confidence and vulnerability. she held the microphone close, almost whispering into it, drawing the audience in with her magnetic presence.

her curls glistening under the stage lights, framing her face with a kind of effortless elegance. she wore a sleek, black ensemble that clung to her slim figure which gave her an urban edge, paired with two silver chains that caught the light with every movement.

 her voice—deep, husky, and rich—carried over the sea of festival-goers with a hypnotic allure. the intensity of her gaze, as she scanned the crowd, made each person feel as though they were sharing a private moment with her, despite being surrounded by thousands. dani moved with an almost feline grace, every step she took having purpose. 

from my vantage point, i watched her in awe. the way she poured her heart into every note, the raw passion in her voice, the breathtaking harmonies and the genuine connection she forged with the audience made it clear that she wasn't just performing—she was living every moment of it. 

watching her also made me yearn for the stage also as it has been a long time since i have been able to perform on stage.

"thank you glastonbury for being fuckin' awesome tonight!" dani yells into the mic before bowing down gracefully. the crowd roars as they chant her stage name 070 shake. 

no matter what happened between us, i have always wished dani well in her career. i have never seen someone as much of a natural musical genius than her, and seeing how big she is becoming was strangely heart warming. my vibrating phone finally took my attention away from her stage.

𝐥á𝐧𝐚🪐

hey bitch where are u?? |

we're heading back to the house |

| ok wait for me im coming!!!

sighing, i set my empty glass on the bar counter and slowly made my way back to the lounge where the others were waiting. with each step, i felt the weight of solitude as i walked out of the tent and further away from her.

𓏲𝄢 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝!