The spring and summer of 2024 has watched a pink pony transform into a thoroughbred and a Midwest princess evolve into a queen as every festival Chappell Roan plays at, regardless of her humble position on the bill, becomes the party.
Thursday's inauspicious daytime set at Lollapalooza in Chicago's Grant Park was no exception.
If anything it was an exceptionally fun day in the sun.
After playing a full set at the historic and cozy Vic Theatre on Wednesday night for one of the official Lolla Aftershows, Chappell was back at it Thursday at 5pm.
Dressed in a colorful wrestling outfit she was joined with some special guests: a half dozen Chicago body builders, men and women, who pumped iron behind her and the band for the first few numbers, and then later in the show.
One of the guests was the reigning North America’s Strongest Woman, Inez Carrasquillo who said despite her powerful essence, inside she had butterflies.
“On stage is kind of intimidating because, you know, the bikini girls are all dieting, Chappell is really small compared to me too. So just like being a big presence on this stage was kind of nerve-wracking at first. But it was kind of cool that I was the biggest person on that stage,” she told Block Club Chicago.
After "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl," the muscle-men and women walked off and Chappell promised to do more from The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, but wanted to sing "Love Me Anyway," because "it's cute."
The orphan song that never made the album was released after "Pink Pony Club" hit. Both tunes were co-written and produced by Dan Nigro, the founder of Amusement Records, the label she signed with after leaving Atlantic. Roan had been on Atlantic since she was 17 but after nine years had little to show for it.
But she did have confidence. So when she became free, she asked for what she wanted. Dough, ray, me.
“I met with nine labels and I went in with the attitude [of], ‘This is what I need — the only thing I need right now is money,’” she she recalled to NME. “So if you don’t give me this, this and this, I’m just not going to sign with you because I can keep going on my own."
Boy was she right.
This year from Coachella to the Hangout Festival to Boston Calling and the Governors Ball, she's drawn larger and larger crowds.
When the bodybuilders came back out to help her do the heavy lifting of teaching the enormous audience the "Hot To Go" dance, it was a sea of humanity you don't typically see at 5:30pm at a festival on a Thursday.
Kobe and LeBron jumped straight from high school to the pros, even though she's been doing this for seven years now, maybe her next tour needs to jump from theaters to stadiums.
Maybe a headlining tour with Olivia Rodrigo who she opened for not that long ago.
In spite of the fact that her band is great, the video graphics are funny, and she's a good singer, in a lot of ways Chappell is the head cheerleader for the sing-a-longs her shows have become.
Although the body builders were interesting and it was cool the drummer was in a small boxing ring, who needs very much production?
Just turn on the video screens, aim them at the crowd, and have enough pink cowboy hats to sell before the gig and everyone's happy.
Take a good look at where Chappell is on that set, next summer how could she not be headlining?
She still has many other festivals left on her dance card. Next up this weekend will be Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park in San Fransisco.
After that she's taking a few weeks off before she heads to Europe which will include three nights at the Academy in Brixton.
Then she comes back to the States at the end of September for more festivals through October.
Get your tickets on Chappell's website.
