It was impossible to escape no matter where you looked.
In the security line you’d see them, walking through the park you’d see them, in line to get food or drinks you were bound to find at least one. That unavoidable thing being members of the Pink Pony Club. Usually donning felt cowboy hats, t-shirts, or bandanas, all different shades of pink, you could’ve thrown a rock in Zilker Park and hit someone that was there for Chappell and Chappell only.
It seems really unlikely that someone wouldn’t know who Chappell is at this point in time, whether you love her, hate her, or fall somewhere in between on her. But in case you’ve been off social media entirely (which, how did you find this article if so) or just aren’t paying attention, here’s the quick gist for you.
Born and raised in south Missouri, Chappell signed to Atlantic in 2015 at only 17 years old. She put out a handful of singles under Atlantic but at the time, none of them did too well commercially and she was dropped from the label in the fall of 2020.
One would think that this would be the nail in the coffin and the sign to move on and for Chappell, it almost was. After getting dropped, she told herself she’d give music one more year, and if it didn’t work out, she’d quit and go to college. Fortunately, she’s stuck with it and now sits at the top of the pop girl totem pole, whether she wants that success or not.
Chappell has been very vocal about her struggles with adjusting to her newfound success, her discomfort with stans, and even wanting to quit now that she’s gotten to this level. Even a weekend before the festival, she caught tons of flack for refusing to endorse a presidential candidate in the 2024 election and from the backlash, dropped out of a weekend of shows on the East Coast.
However, in front of one of the largest crowds I’ve ever seen assembled in Zilker Park, Chappell proved her place at the top of modern pop music. In HOT TO GO!, one of her debut albums, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, ginormous songs, Chappell sings that she doesn’t want the world but she’ll take a city.
That line feels very apt given the level she’s risen to. Maybe she doesn’t want to be the biggest pop star in the world, but she will take over a city or a festival and absolutely own it. As was the case at ACL.
I don’t know how many artists I’ve seen command a stage like Chappell did. For as far back as I was (right behind the delay towers that the festival sets up for folks standing and sitting behind the soundboard), I still felt fully engaged and felt the same energy I’m sure I would’ve felt if I was right up front. One of the best examples was during Casual, a song about a love interest that refuses to commit but wants to keep her around for…reasons. Even though I could barely see her with my own eyes, the emotion of her performance made me feel like I was sitting right next to her.
It also helps that she’s an absolutely incredible live vocalist. It felt like for so long, fresh faces on the pop scene were singing softer and softer and chasing after the Billie Eilish whisper style. Chappell, on the other hand, belts and yells and screams and has no interest in being hushed. Naked In Manhattan, a surprise cover of Barracuda by Heart, Red Wine Supernova, it was impressive to hear her not miss a single note the entire set.
Finally, her band adds a rock edge to her songs that go over so incredibly well. The wailing guitar aligning with the synths in Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl elevated the song to a whole new level, the thunderous drumming in My Kink is Karma, the extra flair on the buildup and drop in Femininomenon (yes, I spelled that from memory), so many little things just elevated her set from being just pop songs to a full on performance.
But, love them or hate them, the best part of the show was the energy coming from the Pink Pony Club. Singing along to every word, jumping, bouncing, and dancing to all the beats, and just being such a lovely crowd to hang around. A crowd can make or break a show, especially at a festival as large as ACL is. Luckily, the standout star of the lineup had one of the most passionate standout crowds of it as well.
Who knows what’s next for Chappell? A new album is on the way next year, the prospect of an arena or stadium tour feels very likely, No matter what it is, it’s sure to stir up some discourse and it’s sure to be amazing.
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