Strutting onto the stage at the Big Four Bridge Lawn in a floor-length blaring red gown — inspired by the character “Divine,” the famous drag queen who appeared in the cult sensation Pink Flamingos — Chappell Roan knew exactly what she was doing. The singer regularly pays homage to the queer and drag communities through her music and performances, stressing the importance of providing safe spaces for queer people where they can enjoy themselves and love freely. This is exactly what she set out to do when she headlined the Kentuckiana Pride Festival.
I arrived at the main stage at the festival at noon and was not at all surprised to see a crowd forming already. With a record-breaking 25,000 festival tickets sold and fans in the front row arriving as early as 6:45 a.m. that day, I knew I was in for a memorable time. Roan kicked off the show around 9 p.m. with the lively hit “Femininomenon.” Despite the tongue-twisting title of the track, fans of the rising star had no problem screaming the words right alongside Roan as she danced around the stage in the most vivacious and uninhibited way imaginable. Her infectious energy quickly caused the nine-hour wait in the blazing sun to escape my mind, and all that was left was an urge to sing and dance like nobody was watching until we watched the sunrise (give “After Midnight” a listen while you're at it).
The artist followed with songs like "Naked in Manhattan" and "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl," donning a matching leopard-print bodysuit and boots as she commanded the stage and showcased her unbelievably talented vocals through various belts and falsettos in her songs. There was never any questioning of Roan's live-singing capabilities after hearing her belt the background vocals of "Naked in Manhattan" while jumping all over the stage in the Kentucky heat.
Amidst the glamor of Roan's melodic voice echoing throughout the audience, phone flashlights shined bright enough for the singer to notice, and it was quickly realized that the twinkling lights were more like distress signals for those in the crowd who had passed out. Roan stopped on multiple occasions to draw the attention of the event staff, but at certain points, there were too many flashlights waving in the air to count. The temperature had reached the low nineties by the afternoon, and I began to wonder if the nine-hour wait was the best decision I had ever made. It was no surprise to see people dressed in full drag makeup and cowgirl hats succumbing to the overbearing heat of the day; however, it was still worrisome to witness firsthand. One of the girls to the left of me fainted thirty minutes before the show began, was escorted out of the crowd by EMTs and returned in time for Roan's entrance to the stage, showing the true dedication of the singer's die-hard fans. I was a sweaty, dehydrated and exhausted mess by the time she started the show, but I was revived by the sheer electricity she brought to the stage with her.
Perhaps the most anticipated moment of the night came halfway through the show, and it certainly did not disappoint. Roan's song "HOT TO GO!" comes with a dance that begins at the chorus as she spells out the title and moves her arms in “YMCA” fashion, providing a pretty impressive moment for crowd participation. After teaching the moves to the few people in the crowd who did not already have the dance memorized, the song began and the result was mesmerizing. The aerial view of 25,000 people spelling out the words "hot to go" with their arms, trying desperately not to hit the people cramped around them but also basking in the moment with the singer herself, was something to behold. This was the safe space that Roan was referring to, and it was magical.
Performing only thirteen songs and putting the set at around an hour long, Roan's performance was jam-packed with energy, exuberance and ecstasy exuding from both the singer and the audience as everyone screamed their hearts out to the music. During "Casual," fireworks from a baseball game nearby exploded in the sky, which only intensified the experience. In awe of the display of fireworks and Roan's enchanting vocals throughout the song, the sea of pink cowgirl hats and sequin sets moved perfectly in sync, and it was solidified as a highlight of the entire show.
Along with the back-to-back hits performed by Roan, she showcased an unreleased single, "Subway." While it was refreshing to hear solely the singer's captivating voice since a large portion of the crowd did not yet know the lyrics to the song, it was somewhat amusing to listen to a large group of people scream, "Well, f--- this city, I'm movin' to Saskatchewan" along with Roan. This was a notable line in the song that she had hinted at in a livestream months before her first time performing it.
The singer closed out the show with "Pink Pony Club," a cult classic among fans and a touching ode to all of the "Midwest princesses" who identify with the singer's experience of feeling out of place in the town you grew up in. It is needless to say that Roan’s fans turn to the artist to find a place where they feel protected and empowered to be unapologetically themselves. This is exemplified through her eclectic and untamed style, both in and outside her music. The lyrics to the song's chorus rang true in my head as we all sang in unison, “I'm just having fun on the stage in my heels, it's where I belong.” Feeling nothing but unconditional love and acceptance reverberating from both the stage and the crowd itself, there was no denying the true pop stardom that Chappell Roan possessed.
