From Sept. 20 to 24, pop artist extraordinaire Chappell Roan played four sold-out shows at Forest Hills stadium in Queens. Her 2025 tour Visions of Damsels & Other Dangerous Things is a dazzling depiction of just that, as Chappell made her grand entrance from a castle tower, speaking the opening lines of “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” —the electropop anthem that set the energy level for the night—dressed in costumes ranging from a glitzy Captain Hook coat and matching pirate hat, to a latex-and-lace cloak and headdress.
The four nights she played in New York for this pop-up tour were themed “My Kink Is Karma” after one of Chappell’s most popular songs about heartbreak and the slow recovery that comes not from revenge, but sweet karma. Chappell Roan Fandemonium on Instagram provided the themes, encouraging the New York concert-goers to adorn an aesthetic best described as dark romance: deep reds, leather and lace, hearts, and lipstains from vampy makeup. Her fans showed up and showed out in their platform boots and smokey eyes, and those who weren’t on theme were either the supportive dads bringing their dressed-up daughters to see the show, or they were dressed as Chappell herself in the various standout costumes she’s worn. One fan was spotted before the third performance wearing the sparkly blue and gold leotard worn in the “HOT TO GO” music video, an eccentric outfit easily recognized by even the newest Chappell fans.
Visually, Chappell’s performance was full of whimsy and theatrical fantasia: fairies dancing along to “HOT TO GO,” dragons flitting across the screen during “The Giver,” and an all-women band decked out in medieval regalia. Before she begins singing “Coffee,” Chappell sits on a throne with Shigella in her lap—Shigella, her “tour pet,” was designed by artist Andrea Chiampo and is supposedly a 10-million-year-old ancient bacteria. Shigella was introduced on June 7, 2025 in Barcelona; her name and species were confirmed by Chappell herself, though how Chappell came across her pet or what her relevance is to the song she is present during is not known. The ambiguity of this character is quite on-brand for Chappell’s spontaneous brand and adds to the elements of mystery and fantasy within this tour’s theme, aside from Shigella becoming a fast fan-favorite for just being herself.
A few members of Her Campus Pace were able to attend various performances, but all agreed that Chappell Roan has become the voice of a generation. “She’s just one of those performers,” Tara Siegel, the Editor-in-Chief for the Pace chapter stated about Chappell’s vocals. “She sounds even better live than she does on tracks,” Ella Rodriguez, the president of the Pace chapter, agreed: “She’s a one of a kind performer, there’s no one quite like her in our generation.”
Her setlist was jam packed—with how many hits she’s had over the few years that her music made it mainstream, it would be hard to play a lackluster set. She followed her “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” opener with “Femininomenon,” placing two female empowering songs back to back. “Naked in Manhattan” was, of course, passionately sung along by the NYC fans that sold out the stadium. She even gave a shoutout mid-song, shouting “Can you believe it? We’re in New York City!”
Midway through her set, Chappell gives a tribute to the rock band Heart with a cover of “Barracuda,” one of the most recognizable songs from the ‘70s. The stage is bathed in red light as a drawbridge opens to reveal Chappell’s silhouette, backlit with white lights and smoke surrounding her. Nancy Wilson, the guitarist for Heart, made an appearance at the performance on Sunday, taking the stage with Chappell and accompanying her with both guitar and vocals.
To close out her show, Chappell Roan finishes with “My Kink Is Karma” —which was, of course, the theme for those four nights and sung enthusiastically by the crowd—followed by “California,” sung from high in one of her strange towers, and finally: “Pink Pony Club.” It is one of her most streamed songs, second currently to “Good Luck, Babe!” If there was a song that it was impossible not to dance to, it would be this one. Not only are the lyrics and feel of “Pink Pony Club” easily inspiring, they’re raw and honest about how it’s okay to miss the things we choose to leave behind.
When interviewing Rodriguez about the concert, she said that “if a safe space was a concert, it’s a Chappell Roan concert.” Not only did Chappell pause and take a moment to remind her fans that it was okay to feel anything and everything they were feeling in their lives—whether those feelings were from before, during, or after the concert—she found ways to support them. Along with incredibly fun picture-taking opportunities, Chappell had tents where fans could register to vote with HeadCount, as well as an area to find LGBTQ+ support centers near the venue alongside the tents with free giveaways and merch customization.
To say that Chappell Roan is ungrateful for her fans would be a lie. Her dedicated performances and doing her part in providing resources to fans demonstrates an incredibly positive use of her fame, setting the stage for all the successes any “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” can achieve.