It’s not every day that a support slot feels like a moment of main event magic, but FINNEAS — the GRAMMY®-winning songwriter, producer, and solo artist — brought just that to the Great Oak Stage at BST Hyde Park on Friday. Performing ahead of headliner Noah Kahan and main support Gracie Abrams, the 27-year-old delivered a slick, emotionally charged set that balanced heartfelt sincerity with tongue-in-cheek charm.
FINNEAS @ BST Hyde Park 2025
“Thanks so much for being here to see me tonight,” he told the crowd with a grin. “It’s a pleasure to be opening for Gracie [Abrams] tonight. I haven’t met Noah yet, but I’m looking forward to seeing him tonight!” The admission — delivered with wry honesty — was met with laughter and applause, a reminder that FINNEAS isn’t just a brilliant musical mind, but a natural on stage too.
He opened with the brooding Lotus Eater, quickly setting the tone with cinematic tension and lyrical precision. That energy carried into Cleats and 2001, the latter of which saw him descend the steps of the stage and connect with the front row, even borrowing a fan’s phone to film during part of the track before expertly throwing it back to her from the stage — a playful and intimate gesture that charmed the already captivated audience.
With his mother — musician and TV star Maggie Baird — watching proudly from the wings, FINNEAS also brought out close collaborator, co-writer, and now new co-band member (of The Favors) Ashe, joining him for the melancholic The Little Mess You Made and the unreleased The Hudson. The chemistry between them was undeniable, and the latter track received an enthusiastic welcome despite being new to many in the crowd. The duo closed out their shared segment with Till Forever Falls Apart, a fan favourite from Ashe’s catalogue that felt right at home in the hands of its co-writer.
“It’s been such a fun experience to write these songs over the years and record them and play them for you — it feels like the icing on the cake,” he reflected mid-set. “Thanks so much for giving us this job, this opportunity to play these songs.”
FINNEAS @ BST Hyde Park 2025
Break My Heart Again and I Lost a Friend offered quieter, reflective moments in the set — a showcase of FINNEAS’s ability to hold a festival audience with just voice, keys, and raw lyricism. But things ramped back up with Let’s Fall in Love for the Night and the buoyant closer For Cryin’ Out Loud!, a final burst of joy that left the field buzzing.
For those who turned up early for Noah Kahan’s set, FINNEAS delivered far more than a warm-up — he offered a masterclass in emotional pop songwriting, magnetic stage presence, and sincere artistry. While he’s been by sister Billie Eilish’s side through those early bedroom demos to headlining Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, he’s star in his own right, Friday’s set showed that when FINNEAS steps into the spotlight, he more than belongs there.
Live review & photography of FINNEAS @ BST Hyde Park 2025, London by Kalpesh Patel on 4th July 2025.
Olivia Rodrigo Proves That London Is Her Favourite City At BST Hyde Park 2025
Share Thing