Since her 2020 single, “Pink Pony Club,” Chappell Roan has made an impressive name for herself as a femme-pop positive artist. Her later releases of “HOT TO GO!” and “Good Luck, Babe!” have only cemented her status as a rising icon. Now at Outside Lands 2024, the Midwest Princess took center stage to greet her adoring subjects.
The energy was insane four hours before the artist even belted her first note, and the audience’s anticipation only grew with each passing hour. When the clock struck 4 p.m., however, what felt like 75,000 phones came out at once to see their Cinderella step out of her pumpkin carriage. Roan then burst out of the wing in a sparkly blue leotard with gold fringes on the shoulders, and her set began with her genre-defining song, “Femininomenon.”
Roan’s opener was truly a phenomenon, especially during the beat drop that had the entire festival bopping. The non-stop energy only amplified after the artist asked the audience if they were ready to get naked for her second song about unexplored physical intimacy. “Naked In Manhattan” became a choir of thousands of fans screaming “touch me” over and over again.
Without stopping momentum, Roan swung into a song that described herself to a T, “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl.” The EDM backbeat told the story of Roan’s wasted Friday nights with men who wouldn’t dance. During the angsty chorus, the audience ate up Roan, using finger guns to mow down the boys who wasted her time.
A sea of pink cowboy hats and outfits filled up the pit at Lands End stage starting as early as 11:00 a.m. Chappell Roan performed many iconic songs, such as "HOT TO GO!" and "Pink Pony Club." Photographed by Caleb Velasquez/BruinLife.
While singing "Casual," Chappell Roan digs deep and captivats the audience with every lyric. Fans cheered for her, donning pink cowboy hats. Photographed by Caleb Velasquez/BruinLife.
Phenomenon Chappell Roan waves to the crowd after a stellar performance of her song "Femininomenon." Her set totaled 11 of her pieces. Photographed by Caleb Velasquez/BruinLife.
Almost four songs in, Roan took a moment to finally talk to the mega audience in front of Lands End stage. The performer told the audience that her leotard is not only extremely hot, but the same one she wore in the video for “HOT TO GO!,” which is now a year old. Catching where things were heading, the audience leaped with joy when Roan led them in a dance for her next song.
When the melody of the now year-old song reverberated throughout the venue, the festival could have easily been mistaken for the YMCA with the amount of spelling people were doing with their arms. After “HOT TO GO!” ended, Roan playfully called out the VIP booth for not joining in on the dancing. Now that the audience was officially hot and ready to go, Roan got wild, talking about her kink of choice: karma.
“My Kink Is Karma” had fans holding up literal cardboard signs announcing their shared obsession. As the song was ending, Roan introduced her band, which featured Lucy on the drums, Devin on the guitar and Ally on the bass.
Roan decided to keep the vibe casual for her sixth song titled “Casual,” which is about confusing relationships. Throughout “Casual,” Roan and one of her band members would get done on their knees and jam out, weaving in and out of each other’s personal space. The singer then shocked the crowd by performing a yet-to-be-released track called “Subway.” Ecstatic to hear a new song from their favorite artist, phones greedily recorded every second of the slow ballad.
Picking the tempo back up, Roan dedicated her next song to the girl in a miniskirt and go-go boots. Following this remark, more exuberant fans started barking like wild dogs to “Red Wine Supernova.” The screen on stage displayed the song’s lyrics, but they were not needed as, seemingly, the entire festival knew them by heart.
Nearing the end of her set, Roan stopped the world with “Good Luck, Babe!” Graphics on screen displayed a cartoon earth constantly spinning and slowing as if trying to stop the feeling of Roan’s infectious energy.
Before the stroke of 5:50 p.m., Roan took Outside Lands 2024 to the pink pony club for a show stopping closer. Despite being in San Francisco, for those four minutes, the crowd was singing and dancing in West Hollywood, having the time of their lives.
Due to her constant barrage of pop hits and the never ending love from her fans, Outside Lands became a kingdom ruled by the Midwest Princess.
