AEG Presents European festivals division’s Darcey Jackson on planning successful music festivals

AEG Presents European festivals division’s 2025 announcements are well underway, with Charli xcx, Raye, Zach Bryan and more already revealed across its portfolio of London festivals. With anticipation already building, Headliner caught up with Darcey Jackson, lead festival booker at AEG Presents European festivals division, to explore what it takes to curate a standout festival lineup catering to diverse audiences. As a successful female under 30 working in music, she’s responsible for booking artists of all calibres for some of the UK’s most popular festivals. In this interview, she offers insight into the new music scene and the meticulous process of bringing together unforgettable live events.

From working at festivals at a younger age to joining AEG Presents European festivals division, Jackson has risen through the ranks to become a pivotal leader in festival planning, keeping her finger firmly on the pulse of current and emerging music trends to curate iconic lineups for music fans.

“I went to Manchester University for a little bit and ended up dropping out because I knew I wanted to work in music,” Jackson reflects. “It felt like what I was doing there wasn’t right.” Of course, what came next wasn’t entirely straightforward and Jackson found herself scouring the internet for any opportunity to gain experience in the music industry. Her first internship came via a live event agency linked to The X Factor, where she was tasked with handling eliminated contestants each week.

From there, she worked stints in PR and then box office operations, before landing a role with a music agency that worked on the Isle of Wight Festival. Eventually, Jackson was hired as an events assistant for AEG Presents European festivals division, a company she credits for investing in her career and giving her the space to grow. Seven years later, she’s worked her way up the ranks. “They’ve had me for almost all of my twenties,” she laughs. “But I feel like I’m in very good hands.”

As AEG’s festival offering has evolved, so too has Jackson’s role. “When I started with AEG, I was working more on the management and operational side,” she recalls. “But now, as a booker, I get to travel, experience incredible festivals abroad and bring back ideas for what we can do here in the UK.”

A visit to Stagecoach Festival in California, she highlights, was a standout moment for her. “It was one of those, ‘Whoa, this is insane’ experiences. Seeing how huge country music is over there and imagining what that could look like in London was a bit of a pinch-me moment,” she says.

This vision is now becoming a reality with AEG’s growing country music offering. Following last year’s record-breaking Morgan Wallen show, which became the biggest outdoor country music event the UK has ever hosted, AEG is doubling down with two nights of Zach Bryan at BST Hyde Park this summer. “Over 100,000 country fans in the park - it’s going to be massive,” Jackson says enthusiastically. “It’s amazing to bring something new to the UK’s live music scene.”

The 2025 festival season is shaping up to be one of the biggest yet, and for Jackson, seeing these plans come to life is a reward in itself. “Some of these headliner conversations start almost two years in advance,” she reveals. “It’s so exciting when we finally get to announce them - it’s like, ‘OK, the world can finally see what we’ve been working on.’”

Jackson is particularly excited about this year’s diverse lineup. “It feels like this festival season is all about diverse audiences. We’ve got legendary acts like ELO at BST, but then you’ve got someone like Raye and Doechii leading the charge for a younger audience. You know, we've got a sold-out Noah Kahan show, we've got a sold-out Olivia Rodrigo show, a sold-out Sabrina Carpenter show. Seeing those acts sell-out shows in 24 hours is incredible.”

So, how does Jackson stay ahead of the curve? “It depends on the genre,” she explains. “For acts like ELO, we’re obviously not looking at somewhere like TikTok. But for someone like Charli xcx, it’s the perfect place to gauge what’s happening.” While keeping a close eye on social media plays a huge role in identifying emerging artists, Jackson warns against getting caught up in viral culture. “It’s easy to see a song blow up on TikTok and assume the artist is a safe bet, but you need to listen beyond that. Who are the A&Rs excited about? What are labels prioritising? It’s about trusting your gut, having a good ear and backing yourself.”

Jackson says a prime example of this was her experience securing rapper and singer/songwriter, Doechii. “At the time we booked her, some people outside the industry were unsure, but we believed in her,” Jackson says. “Now she’s a Grammy winner, leading the way. Sometimes you have to take those risks.”

Balancing genre diversity while maintaining a clear festival identity is one of the more complex aspects of Jackson’s job. “We don’t do the big three-day camping festivals where audiences stay for the whole weekend,” she explains. “Each day at BST in Hyde Park, for example, has to feel like a standalone event with a cohesive vibe.”

“Touring schedules are also incredibly rigid,” she expands. “You might dream up a perfect lineup, but if an artist isn’t in the right cycle or their management has other plans, it’s just not going to happen.”

This year, AEG Presents European festivals division also launches its new festival Lido, Victoria Park in East London. “It's like ‘first day at school’ energy launching a new festival,” Jackson laughs. “The lineup that we've got behind it - Jamie XX, London Grammar, Charli xcx - is great. It’s exciting. I'm ready to be down in the field now for that one!”

Looking to the future of the festival landscape, Jackson sees experience-driven events playing an increasingly central focus for AEG Presents European festivals division. “One of the reasons younger audiences are flocking to festivals is the overall experience. It’s not just about seeing a band and leaving - it’s the entire day, the community, the inclusivity.”

AEG is leading the charge in making festivals more inclusive, accessible and immersive. “BST is a gold standard when it comes to accessibility, from gender-neutral toilets to viewing platforms and dedicated assistance services. That inclusivity is opening up festivals to a much wider audience,” she remarks.

Jackson also explains that technology is also shaping the future of festivals and will heavily impact the experience for music fans. “Adopting new technologies will be an exciting concept in festivals,” Jackson notes. “We’re looking at integrating things like AI-powered information stands where attendees can ask for stage times, food recommendations or even directions, and get instant, accurate responses.”

Reflecting on her own career, Jackson is quick to encourage aspiring live music and events professionals to embrace every opportunity. “My advice would be to just throw yourself into anything you can. One of the best jobs I had early on, was working in the box office at Shepherd’s Bush Empire. It gave me so much insight into ticketing, which is vital to every aspect of live music.”

“Reaching out directly to companies can open doors that a standard job search won’t. You won’t lose anything by trying, but you might miss out if you don’t.”