Olivia Rodrigo delivered alongside surprising guests Weezer as Lollapalooza continued in Chicago with performances by T-Pain, Flipturn, Gigi Perez, Bo Staloch and more.
“Lollapalooza, are we ready to have a good f–ing time?” shouted pop star Olivia Rodrigo on stage Friday night during a headlining performance at Lollapalooza. “There’s so many incredible artists tonight. Thank you so much for coming. Thank you so much for having me.”
Rodrigo tore through her set Friday on the festival’s south end, continuing to flex a bit of a rock muscle alongside seminal alt rockers Weezer, who worked up their 1994 hit “Buddy Holly” during a guest spot with Rodrigo on the Lollapalooza T-Mobile main stage.
Temperatures were cool and rain free for the second consecutive day in Chicago, optimal festival going conditions and a rare respite from an otherwise sweltering Windy City summer.
“I feel like it’s not too hot. As a ginger, these are the things I must think about,” said Irish singer songwriter Orla Gartland with a chuckle following a 45 minute performance amongst the trees on the Grove stage, long a favorite of concertgoers for the shaded break it provides in a section of Grant Park immediately adjacent to the Art Institute in downtown Chicago. “People were starting to scare me. They were like, ‘You’re gonna melt!’ But it was breezy and beautiful. And the crowd was amazing,” she said. “It’s really fun to get to do a festival and an aftershow in the same day. I feel very taken by my Lolla experience.”
Gartland got started as a YouTuber, busking as a teen in Dublin. Following a series of EP releases since 2011, Gartland released her sophomore full-length studio effort Everybody Needs a Hero.
In an industry constantly in search of the next big thing, often rendering the idea of artistry disposable, Gartland has thrived, carving out an identity while honing her craft methodically over time, building a sustainable and career.
“Those are really the moments where I think, ‘Yeah — it’s been a marathon not a sprint,’” said Gartland looking back. “It’s been a long time — but this is the only job I’ve ever done in my adult life. It’s been a slow and steady climb. But I feel really, really good,” she said. “This is the best festival, you know? And to get to play it? I’m definitely having a lot of those moments lately.”
Heading into Lollapalooza, Gartland performed on stage at Glastonbury earlier this summer, one of the most trendsetting festivals in Europe.
Arriving in Chicago, Gartland was taken by Lollapalooza’s unparalleled urban backdrop, a festival along the lakefront that takes over the downtown area of the country’s third largest media market, an immense footprint.
“It’s different. A lot of the festivals in the U.K. — not a lot of the big ones are in cities like this. This feels like it’s interacting with the city — we’re really in amongst the skyline,” she said. “It feels like the festival was built around an existing beast — not just put up in a field. It’s really, really cool. Watching the other stage and seeing the skyline, it’s very special.
