By Kyle Horne
Photo Credit: Hope Holmes
Scottish Chappell Roan fans were in for a treat as the Midwest Princess brought her Visions of Damsels & Other Dangerous Things tour to Edinburgh, at the Royal Highland Showgrounds.
The songstress, who only made her UK live debut a mere two years ago, at an intimate 600-capacity venue in London, embarked on her biggest headline shows yet – two sold-out nights with 60,000 fans in attendance each day.
The tour marks the in-between of Chappell Roan’s debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess and her new material, critically-acclaimed The Giver and The Subway.
With doors opening promptly at 4pm, fans were able to make their way early, whether by bus or tram, prepping for the night ahead with bars, food stalls and even a Ferris wheel.
Having never been to a Summer Sessions slot before, it’s bigger than a concert, and more like a festival, building anticipation all day for the main act.
One of those acts included a drag queen set. Full of energy and confidence, each strutted their stuff to quintessential queer classics, before expressing their gratitude for being able to open for Chappell. Having drag queens open her show really made sense, as she has cited their fearlessness as her biggest inspirations.
As the sun shone down, giving everyone a subtle tan, JADE then took to the stage, lifting the crowd, many of whom had been queuing outside since the very early hours.
Originally a member of Little Mix before they announced their hiatus in late 2021, JADE is now carving her own path in the pop genre.
Introducing JADE, Ncuti Gatwa’s voice from her track Midnight Cowboy came through the speakers: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, they’s and them’s – hold on tight… the performance is about to begin…’ The intro merged seamlessly into It Girl, kicking off her set with sass.
On stage, she stunned the crowd in a cream and black corseted ensemble, mixing textures the same way her music mixes influences.
The Northerner proved exactly why she earned the support slot, delivering pitch-perfect vocals while managing difficult, infectious choreography.
Moving through her set, JADE got everyone dancing and ready for the night ahead, with performances of her solo hits including Fantasy and Plastic Box, a cover of Madonna’s Frozen, and a mashup of Little Mix classics.
JADE finished her set on fan-beloved Angel of My Dreams, her first-ever solo single about her love/hate relationship with the music industry.
It was then time to fully prepare for Chappell Roan, who would be taking the stage an hour after.
The hour-long wait felt endless; anticipation built with every minute. Some opted to sit on the floor while others made their way to the bar to get a couple of drinks before the queen of pop arrived.
Between sets, screens flashed with gig posters of upcoming concerts in Scotland – seasoned pros stood smug having already booked their tickets to go and watch the next up-and-coming acts.
Chappell Roan eventually took the stage after an orchestral, theatrical introduction.
On the screens, to either side of the stage, an animation of a hand flipping through the pages of a book embossed with the initials ‘CR’ on the front, played, transporting the audience into a mystical fairy tale land, like the Wizard of Oz, as anthemic synths revealed the words ‘Chappell Roan’.
Eventually revealing herself atop her grand castle set, Chappell was dressed in a colourful jester outfit, with her distinctive white mask makeup and curly red locks, before the band launched straight into Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl.
The crowd began jumping and singing along from the very beginning, particularly during scream-along-worthy lyrics: ‘Not overdramatic. I know what I want.’
A true entertainer, she commanded the crowd, dancing across the stage, giving it her all.
You wouldn’t believe it, but Chappell only made her Scottish debut in September last year, to a crowd of 2,500 at the O2 Academy in Glasgow, so to be performing the biggest headline shows of her career here in Scotland is a true testament to this international pop star’s success.
Barely three songs in and the star had already changed her outfit, strutting on stage to Naked in Manhattan: ‘We’re in Edinburgh!’
Chappell performed anthem after anthem, and the crowd turned the Showgrounds into one giant scream-along, savouring every moment of the ethereal experience.
More than just your typical gig, this was an event: a superstar, a grand stage set, and Edinburgh’s trams and buses bursting at the seams.
It wasn’t long before Chappell introduced her band to the crowd: Madden on drums, Ally on bass, Bryn on keys, and Andrea and Emily on guitars, before she launched into fan-favourite Casual – a song about yearning for love and questioning the status of a relationship: ‘…is it casual now?’
The singer caressed the stage, dropping to her knees for the gut-wrenching track.
The mood would be lifted instantly as Chappell shouted ‘We’re going to teach you a dance!’ before launching into HOT TO GO! – a dance most of the crowd had already perfected through watching the new queen of pop at Reading and Leeds this year, or her jaw-dropping set at Lollapalooza last year.
The energy in Edinburgh was electric, filled with love and acceptance as fans in glitter and cowboy hats embraced one another, drawn together by Chappell’s music and confident persona.
Her vocals were pitch-perfect, only elevated by the extraordinary live band.
Playing fan anthems including Red Wine Supernova, Good Luck, Babe! and My Kink is Karma, her set culminated with Pink Pony Club, full of epic guitar strumming, the audience screaming every word back to Chappell.
With pyrotechnics, a grand castle, and thousands of voices singing in unison, the Midwest Princess turned the Showgrounds into a world all her own. Her breakthrough may have come just last year, but it’s already clear: Chappell has made it. And she’s made it big.
Unless otherwise stated, Photography & Text Copyright 2025 © Kyle Horne/ADRENALINE Magazine.
Emma Turner