Pop princess in the making: Slayyyter at Lollapalooza
Over the last weekend of July, Lollapalooza, a staple festival in the US, commenced in Chicago with big headliners such as Charli XCX, The Smashing Pumpkins and Lorde.
What I found is that every few years a massive pop moment occurs and this time around, Slayyyter takes the cake, writes Music News Blitz’s Brianna Ngambi.
Pop ascension
In 2024, we saw the rise of midwestern princess, Chappell Roan, garnering massive crowds all screaming “HOT TO GO”, and history repeats itself with another midwestern star in the most chaotic, glamorous way possible.
On the Friday (July 31) of the festival, Slayyyter hit the stage and showcased her talent to the unprecedented crowd she had drawn in, just as her fellow midwesterner counterpart had two years prior.
The pivotal change
Originally, Slayyyter was scheduled to perform at the smaller, more private Grove stage and was later upgraded to a larger main stage, the Bud light stage.
This last-minute pivot was understandable in recognising that 2026 has been the artists’ breakout year.
With her new album, “WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA” being critically acclaimed and Pitchfork rating it an 8.2, alongside the explosive growth of her fanbase, festival promoters were pushed to move her up to another stage.
Reportedly 50 000 fans – decked out in cowboy hats, glittery faces and muddy boots – watched her performance, so it was definitely the right decision. They rushed in and transformed this afternoon festival slot into an open-air rave.
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The set
The stage design had elements of her Missouri roots, with the house being a focal point, surrounded by weeds, a bedazzled cross and flags with her signature dollar sign icon.
It began with a prayer and when Slayyyter finally stepped onto the stage through the house door, you could see her shock at the sheer amount of people that came to watch.
But this faded quickly as a star was born on the stage and her hyper-confident persona overcame her.
Fish-rod in hand and a snatched checkered shirt, Slayyyter walked out to “DANCE”, her current rising hit, blasting through the speakers.
The definition of camp, which modern pop is reviving.
The track, a dark electronic pop song, set the tone for the performance and introduced the insane stage presence she holds.
This was followed by an hour of high-energy electronic pop and heavy synths, accompanied by a live band who added a bassline to the tracks. The choreography was sharp while the vocals remained pitch-perfect.
It felt like the perfect mix of the ingredients to showcase her sheer talent. To quote an instagram user, her “stage presence was the kind that does not give the crowd permission to look anywhere else” and the proof is in the pudding.
The setlist was a blend of tracks from her 2026 album but also fan-favourite throwbacks from her 2019 mixtape, giving the crowd a picture of the work she had put in to arrive at this point.
The peak of the afternoon comes with her performance of “CRANK” where the synergy between Slayyyter and the crowd was palpable.
The open-air rave was here to stay. The crowd erupted in a sea of dancing, jumping and screaming audience members.
The track is the third single on her album and had its own moment on TikTok with graduating students saying “CRANK IT” into the cameras, so the audience reaction was expected.
It is electro-pop to its core with heavy synths and bass which was emphasised by the live band. Another peak moment was in her performance of “I’M ACTUALLY KINDA FAMOUS” – which is an ironic track as her rising stardom is happening before our eyes.
The set closed with the sister tracks, “Brand new Chanel$”, her newest release and “BEAT UP CHANEL$”, which showed her growth within this year and her adoration for electronic pop.
The former song had been highly anticipated by her fans so to witness its live debut at Lollapalooza was a big moment, not just for the fans but for Slayyyter herself, proving she is here to stay.
It was clear that the audience had witnessed a pop princess in the making and a defining career moment.
Lollapalooza always has memorable headlining sets and this year having a dominance of huge female artists was amazing, but the true magic of the weekend belonged to the rise of midwestern electro-pop princess, or better known as “the worst girl in America”.
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