Sun, superstars and other takeaways from Radio 1's Big Weekend

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. Sun, superstars and other takeaways from Radio 1's Big Weekend19 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleMitch MansfieldBBC NewsbeatBBCOlivia Dean closed the show as Sunderland said OK Love You Bye to the festivalRadio 1's Big Weekend doesn't always promise sunshine. Nor does north-east England, as we were regularly reminded by some of the 100,000 festivalgoers who couldn't believe their luck in Sunderland. They were treated to about 100 acts across three glorious days at Herrington Country Park.

Newsbeat was there too, speaking to artists and fans about the big talking points - starting with a few words they all wanted to hear. 'Zero chance of rain'(Costa del) Sunderland felt like 'the best city in he world' for Amy (right), while Joe described 'being a Mackem' as 'the best thing on earth' Kicking off the start of festival season at the end of May, Big Weekend's weather conditions are usually mixed. And there's no denying it can make or break the experience.

The Details

So when worrying rain icons on our apps turned into three days of sunshine, we knew it was going to be special. "The sun brought the good mood," 20-year-old Caitlin told Newsbeat at the end of night one. And that good mood didn't leave.

Olivia Dean's victory lapOlivia Dean made it So Easy for around 40,000 fans (To Fall In Love) with herTickets for the final day, featuring Olivia Dean's first major headline slot, were piping hot, too. It's after a remarkable nine months for the singer since she released her second album The Art of Loving. "It's completely changed my life," she told the crowd.

Chart records, huge sold-out tours and a tonne of awards have followed. She can now add another achievement to the list. If there were any doubts about how her often intimate and understated style would suit a main stage festival finale, they melted away within minutes.

What Experts Say

As the Sunday sun set over Sunderland, her performance radiated with the warmth it left behind. And fans from around the world were there to see it. Kameel, 27, flew from New York after missing out on tickets to her US tour and coming across Big Weekend on Instagram.

"Olivia Dean resonates with me," she tells us. "She's a person of colour, and so it's great to hear her music and her story - and her vocals are insane. "Being the most youZara Larsson brought her Midnight Sun to SunderlandIf Olivia Dean's rise has been meteoric, Zara Larsson's has been years in the making.

It's almost a decade since the Swedish star first performed at Big Weekend - opening the main stage in Hull. But her global popularity has exploded recently, powered by viral dances, high-profile collabs and, she says, by becoming "the most me". It would be naive to think sounds and personalities aren't still carefully curated by talented teams.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.