Girls simply wish to have enjoyable at Lollapalooza

Female artists are dominating Lollapalooza’s headliner lineup this yr, with singers Lorde, Charli xcx, Jennie, Olivia Dean and Tate McRae gracing the grounds of Grant Park over the 4 day pageant. They are joined by The Smashing Pumpkins, John Summit and The xx. 

Despite ladies making up roughly 29%  of the 170 artists performing, many followers really feel the ladies are bringing the warmth to Chicago’s signature summer time occasion.

Attendee Sarah Neville mentioned all the feminine headliners are what introduced her to the pageant. 

“No one can speak to the female experience better than a girl, a woman your age, going through the same thing, same time,” she mentioned. 

Many feminine artists celebrated totally different sides of womanhood on stage whereas constructing group of their crowds. Suki Waterhouse’s set embraced female vitality with a romantic, attractive glamour with hits like “Good Looking Boy” or “Back in Love.” A completely buttoned up Audrey Hobert sang about insecurities and the awkwardness of her twenties with songs from her debut album, “Who’s the Clown?”

Cassie McNeill, who has attended the pageant since 2019, mentioned this yr is about “girl power” for her. In earlier years, she attended with a companion. But this time, she got here with two feminine mates, all excited to see Zara Larsson and Charli xcx carry out.

McNeill mentioned she is impressed by the female energy of the 2 artists, harking back to  “biting a man’s head off with glitter and lip gloss on.” She mentioned Zara Larson specifically has a “sparkly cheerleaderness about her that is also really hard and intimidating.”

McNeill mentioned she has been a fan of Charli xcx since she launched her single, “Fancy,” with Iggy Azalea in 2014. She described the artist as approachable but intimidating, being the kind of lady who would “let you borrow her clothes” on an evening out.

Both Zara Larsson and Charli xcx are “really unique and open to all women that want to be part of it,” McNeill mentioned.  

Neville mentioned she beloved watching Lorde specifically, referring to being the identical age and resonating with the lyrics on her newest album, “Virgin.”

“She talks about her acne, her body weight, her relationship with eating disorders and all of that crazy stuff,” Neville mentioned. “She’s so vulnerable.” 

She attributes her love for feminine artists to their capacity to articulate their emotions by way of their music. 

“I feel like women do have a better channel to poetry and how they convey emotions, honestly better than men,” she mentioned.

Casey Gunther, who attended with Neville, appreciates the totally different feminine headliners as they symbolize varied genres: Jennie as a Ok-pop princess, Oliva Dean as a neo-soul songstress and Charli xcx as dancepop diva.

“They all compose themselves in different ways,” she mentioned. “They’re all strong and confident. But it kind of touches on the fact that to be a strong woman, to be a beautiful woman, there’s no specific mold.”

One artist from the pageant Gunther notably admires is Slayyyter, who she mentioned is genuine in her artistry with out catering to the “male gaze” in costume or demeanor. 

“She is who she is. … Her beauty and confidence comes from the fun she has and the way she connects with her fans,” Gunther mentioned. 

Gunther mentioned Slayytor conjures up her and different followers to embrace their very own particular person types of femininity. 

 “There are all sides of the spectrum of what it means to be a woman. And I think it’s really cool to walk around and see that come into play.”