I Had The Pop Girliest Time At Lollapalooza

From the tropical colors of Zara Larsson’s vibrant set to the black-and-white visuals of Charli xcx’s electrifying performance, Lollapalooza made for a splashy pop showcase this year in Chicago.

The annual four-day music festival took place from July 30 through Aug. 2 in Grant Park. While the lineup had a variety of genres from rock and hip-hop to folk and house music, it also hosted numerous pop acts throughout the weekend, including Lorde, Tate McRae, and Jennie. Friday, July 31 was a day for the pop girlies, and as a megafan of the genre, I had to be there.

Thanks to Ulta Beauty, I had the chance to live up my pop girl dreams with a VIP cabana pass that gave me a prime view of the main stage. I also had the chance to sparkle up my look at Ulta’s Beat Suite, where one of their stylists, Beto Sanchez, braided and tinsel’d my hair. (Shoutout to Beto for giving me the great advice to mix hair oil and hairspray to combat frizz and keep my curls in shape on what happened to be a rainy day!)

With my hair a-twinklin’, I was ready to enjoy Lolla at its pop girliest. Here’s a recap of the best acts of that day.

Slayyyter Was Far From The “Worst”

While Chappell Roan might be the reigning Midwest pop princess, Slayyyter is making a case for the title. The St. Louis native, decked out as a very stylish fisherman, was so popular that Lolla changed its schedule last minute so she could perform on one of the bigger stages. And of course, she made the most of it, playing her hits “DANCE...” and “CRANK” from her album, WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA, while also debuting her new song, “brand new chanel$” — a new take on her beloved track, “BEAT UP CHANEL$.”

Suki Waterhouse Brought The Love

Fresh off her new album, Loveland, Waterhouse made her return to the Lolla stage with a dreamy setlist. The British singer sashayed across the stage in a feathery pink outfit, as she performed her new single, “Notting Hill,” as well as past faves like “Good Looking” and “Moves.”

Zara Larsson Summer Can Never End

If anyone got the crowd moving, it was Zara Larsson’s stunning set, bookended by two amazing renditions of her hit song, “Midnight Sun.” Her sultry choreography during “Pretty Ugly” was unforgettable, and one of the most endearing moments was when she brought a fan on stage to perform the viral “Lush Life” dance together. The energy she brought with every song made it feel like summer could never end.

Charli xcx Got Cheeky

The day ended with a showstopping performance by headliner Charli xcx. She kickstarted the live version of her Music, Film, Fashion album era with an electrifying set. The stage itself was dynamic, later transforming into a runway where she strutted as white lights flashed, creating a black-and-white visual effect. The singer opened up with her reverberating single “Rock Music,” but also played a few hits from previous records like “Apple,” “party 4 u,” and “Guess,” during which underwear rained down on the crowd. Stay cheeky, Charli.