Why did Drake end his Wireless Festival set after just 40 minutes? Reason explained

Drake’s final performance at the 2025 Wireless Festival in London lasted just 40 minutes. Fans who were expecting a full-length set were left surprised and disappointed. The rapper exited the stage before many of his major hits could be performed.

The set was expected to be the highlight of the festival’s closing night. Drake had performed on previous days as well, but many fans had attended it, especially since it was the last show. What followed instead was a short set that ended early, with confusion around the reasons.

There are a few clear factors that explain why the performance was cut short. These include a curfew set by the festival, time given to guest performers, and confusion over the schedule.

Did the festival curfew limit Drake’s performance?

One of the main reasons for the short set was the strict curfew. Wireless Festival had a 9:30 PM cutoff time. This curfew is common for events held in London due to local noise laws and safety rules. Artists are required to finish their sets before this time.

Drake himself mentioned the curfew during the show. He told the crowd that he would keep going until his microphone was turned off. To make the most of the time, he started his set 10 minutes early. However, even with this head start, he had limited time on stage.

The curfew has affected artists at Wireless Festival before. In his case, it meant he could not perform as many songs as fans expected. The short performance was not because he left early by choice, but because he had to stop on time.

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Did guest performers reduce Drake’s time?

The other important reason is the fact that he had chosen to give other music artists the stage to share with him. He introduced a few special guests when he was playing. These were Vybz Kartel, Popcaan, and Rema. They each were given time to do their performances, and this was also taken from the time allotted for Drake.

The performance was particularly important for Vybz Kartel, as he has not been on stage in the UK in two decades. Although fans enjoyed his small cameo, the time left for Drake's performance was significantly reduced.

Drake has a reputation for working with other musicians. This time, however, it was at the expense of a reduced solo performance. The fans who were anticipating a complete set by him might have considered that the guest features consumed excessive time with the little time available.

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Drake’s 40-minute performance at Wireless Festival was not planned to be short. A strict curfew forced him to finish early. He also chose to use his time to highlight guest performers like Vybz Kartel. In addition, last-minute changes to the event schedule and some venue issues affected the show’s flow.

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