Femininomenal! Chappell Roan delivers unforgettable show at Reading Festival

I hope she plays ‘Hot To Go!’ On 22 August, Chappell Roan made a triumphant return to British soil – delivering her first-ever UK festival headline performance at Reading. For an artist whose persona is rooted in queerness and unapologetic self-expression, her place on the festival’s famously straight-coded main stage felt profoundly symbolic.

Less than a year ago when The Midwest Princess last toured the UK, she was playing venues with capacities under 5,000. Fast forward to summer 2025, and she’s commanding attention of one of the country’s largest festivals, performing to a sprawling audience of around 100,000. The leap is staggering, but also a testament to her incredibly well-earned rise, which has been almost a decade in the making.

Clocking in at approximately 90 minutes, Roan’s set spanned 17 songs and wove together dark-fantasy visuals with her signature theatricality and bold pop bravado. She took fans on a journey from Saskatchewan to the Pink Pony Club, mixing tracks from her iconic debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, with selections from her eagerly awaited sophomore effort – most notably ‘The Subway’, which was released on 31 July and debuted at number one on the UK’s Official Singles Chart. Hearing tens of thousands scream its outro made it clear that the song is already an anthem.

Chloe Newman / Reading Festival

The setlist comprised a compelling selection of favourites, including ‘Femininomenon’, ‘Casual’ and ‘The Giver’, showcasing the breadth of her creative world – from glitter-soaked pop numbers to vulnerable ballads tinted in heartbreak – each delivered with the intensity of someone staking her rightful claim to a stage of this magnitude.

From the moment Chappell emerged from her gothic castle in a brand-new costume that served vampire realness (giving Dragon from Shrek in the best possible way), the festival erupted. Her voice was almost swallowed by the roar of thousands of fans in the type of communal experience that defines the best live music, where artist and audience become one unstoppable energy.

Luke Dyson / Reading Festival

Yet amid all of this, her vocals were flawless. Chappell’s signature lilting delivery shone in the hypnotic yodels of ‘Picture You’, while her forceful belts during the climax of ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ rang out strong across the field. She is, without question, among the most capable vocalists in pop music today.

One of the evening’s most joyous moments came with ‘Hot to Go!’ The track has become inseparable from its viral dance routine, which Roan took a moment to teach the ready-and-waiting crowd. Watching tens of thousands of hands rise in unison, flames bursting behind the stage, the field became a carnival of camp joy in a moment that’s destined to live on in the minds of everyone who observed it.

Never one to shy away from the drama, Chappell even took a moment in the show to dedicate ‘My Kink is Karma’ to her ex, who just happened to be in the crowd – drawing gasps and cheers from the audience.

@gaytimes Chappell Roan dedicates ‘My K*nk is Karma’ to her ex who is in the crowd during her headline set at Reading Festival ???? #chappellroan #readingfestival #chappell #chappellroantour #subway ♬ original sound – GAY TIMES

As the show reached its finale with ‘Pink Pony Club’, the emotional weight of the song was undeniable. What began as a cult favourite has since become a cultural touchstone, cementing Chappell’s place as an icon within the LGBTQIA+ community. At Reading, it became something even larger, a festival-wide celebration of queer joy, acceptance and self-expression. Bathed in rose-tinted light, surrounded by a crowd who sang as if their lives depended on it, the track transformed the field into a sanctuary. As the band played out the final chords, thousands of fans in pink cowboy hats and bandanas were left in awe.

Luke Dyson / Reading Festival

In short, Chappell Roan didn’t simply headline Reading Festival – she took it over. Her set was a mystical blend of spectacle, vulnerability and pop craftsmanship, executed with the confidence of an artist fully stepping into her power. This landmark performance solidified her as one of the defining voices of her generation and reaffirmed her as a formidable force in music. No wonder she’s your favourite artist’s favourite artist.

GAY TIMES rating: ★★★★★

Chappell Roan will perform at Leeds Festival on 23 August and Edinburgh Summer Sessions with special guest JADE on 26 and 27 August. Find out more and get your tickets here.

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