Chappell Roan displayed little tolerance for the passive spectators in the VIP section during her highly anticipated set during the last day of Outside Lands.
“It’s so weird that VIP thinks they’re so way too cool to do this!” the pop sensation admonished the crowd, who had paid hundreds of dollars extra for the privilege of standing near the Lands End Stage, as she introduced her hit “Hot To Go!” a few songs into her nearly hour-long set on Sunday, Aug. 11.
It seemed particularly annoying for Roan, who had just shared a special milestone with the audience: She noted she was wearing the same glittery blue leotard from her signature tune’s music video, which she said just marked its first anniversary.
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She then encouraged the crowd to spell out H-O-T-T-O-G-O with their arms, a routine many dedicated fans in the general admission area already knew by heart.
As she launched into the first verse, the 26-year-old singer-songwriter threatened, “Do it or I’m calling you on stage.” She then turned her attention to the VIPs: “You’re not fun!”
But Roan needn’t have worried. She attracted a massive audience, rivaling many of the festival’s top acts, during her late afternoon performance. Tens of thousands of tightly packed fans, wearing “Barbie”-style cowboy hats, braved the blustery, bone-chilling weather at Golden Gate Park to get up close to her to dance and sing along during each song.
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Allen Scott, president of concerts and festivals for Another Planet Entertainment, which produces Outside Lands, told the Chronicle he estimated 50,000 of the festival’s 75,000 attendees showed up for Roan alone on Sunday.
The Missouri-born queer musician, born Kayleigh Amstutz, has experienced a meteoric rise to superstardom in recent months. Inspired in equal parts by Taylor Swift and Freddie Mercury, she has amassed a loyal fanbase with her queer, campy aesthetic and viral synth-pop hits like “Good Luck, Babe!” and “Red Wine Supernova,” particularly through TikTok.
Roan is part of a trend of ultra-confident pop stars who have seen a spike in popularity, alongside Reneé Rapp and “Espresso” singer Sabrina Carpenter, who both performed at the festival on Saturday, Aug. 10. In fact, Roan’s recent Lollapalooza performance attracted one of that festival’s largest crowds. Observers noted that with foresight, Outside Lands organizers might have been better off booking Roan as a headliner for the event’s final day.
After performing her situation-ship lamenting ballad “Casual” on Sunday, Roan treated the San Francisco audience to her unreleased track “Subway,” a slow-tempo song about lost love, which she first debuted at Governors Ball in New York in June. Speculation is rife that the song will feature on her forthcoming sophomore album.
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Earlier in the day, hundreds of fans lined up outside Golden Gate Park hours before the festival gates opened to stake their claim before Lands End Stage for the historical moment. Before Roan hit the stage, musicians dressed in pink even played “Hot To Go!” during a march toward Lands End Stage alongside dancers in Marie Antionette-style gowns, looping through the festival and heightening fans’ anticipation.
During her set Sunday, the pop star primarily performed songs from her 2022 debut album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.” She energetically moved around the stage in shiny gold boots, even launching into the splits at one point, all while delivering crisp vocals.
Roan concluded her set with “Pink Pony Club,” a fan favorite that inspired many attendees’ colorful outfits. She invited the crowd to sing the last chorus, crawling on the floor during the electric guitar solo before finishing with a heartfelt bow.
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Reach Zara Irshad and Aidin Vaziri: [email protected], [email protected].
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