Suffolk Singer says she's still in shock after learning her band will be performing at Glastonbury
Lauren Jennifer from Ipswich, makes one half of the dynamic duo of Oakley Starr alongside Ziggy Phoenix
Last updated 5th Apr 2025
Soul sisters in song, spirit and one half Suffolk will be performing at Glastonbury this year for the first time.
The country duo, Lauren Jennifer, who lives in Ipswich, alongside Ziggy Phoenix, make up Oakley Starr.
We asked them, how they came up with the name.
Lauren told us, "We've just been going over band ideas for ages, and then I came across Annie Oakley first and I was like, oh, what about Annie Oakley? She's a gunslinger from the Wild West, and then we discovered Belle Starr as well, and we mashed them together. I remember looking up at Ziggy and going Oakley Starr and she just jumped out of her chair, and she was like, that's it!"
"I just knew, this is going to be a best friend forever"
The pair initially made contact through social media, exchanging long messages and bonding over their shared love of the rock band Larkin Poe before finally deciding to meet in person.
Ziggy told us, "I remember pulling up outside Lauren's house and we kind of saw each other as she opened the door, and we just immediately gave each other the biggest cuddle. Like we've known each other for years. And it was so intense and beautiful. And it was just in that moment that I just knew, this is going to be a best friend forever."
The sentiment was shared by Lauren: "it was like I've known her entire life, like we've been friends and in every single lifetime. I truly believe that."
They then began singing together and bookings came their way, including the Ipswich Music Day Festival and opening the Cirque of Quirk Stage at the Isle of Wight Festival.
"I am still in a state of shock, I still haven't found my mind"
So how did they book Glastonbury?
Unbeknownst to Lauren, Ziggy had applied through the festival's Emerging Talent competition for new bands. They told us they'd only found out about the news around 3 weeks ago.
Ziggy told us: "I had the e-mail come through, and I called Lauren - normally I would never ring her unless it was an emergency. We always communicate through text.
"Ahe answered the phone and asked if everything was okay. I was like, are you sitting down? And she was like, well, I'm lying down because I'm still half asleep. And I said, Okay, we'll prepare yourself because I have some big news. And I said we're playing Glastonbury and she absolutely lost her mind.
Lauren told us she's "still in a state of shock. I haven't found my mind since you (Ziggy) made me lose it."
Lauren also told us how this was a poignant moment for both of them.
"I think even when you are as supportive of each other as we are, when you're an independent artist first and foremost, sometimes you can wonder and be like, oh, are we doing the right thing? Is our energy going in the right place?
"But to find out that she'd put us forward for Glastonbury was just beautiful.
"It was just like she believes in us, and I also loved it because it meant that she believed in her ability to do that as well.
"When we first met, that wouldn't have happened. She wouldn't have put herself forward for Glastonbury. So I was super excited, mainly because of that, because I'm like Ziggy, you put yourself, you put us forward for the Glastonbury. You wouldn't have done that a year ago."
They've not yet announced which stage they'll be on, but they have shared they will be performing their debut single which is being recorded next month.