Chappell Roan takes victory lap at euphoric KC concert: ‘So awesome to come home’
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Artists doing covers of other singers’ songs can be viewed in many ways. Some will think of it as a tribute to a singer that inspired them. Others may see it as a cop-out to make up for a short discography.
While Chappell Roan’s released music list is on the shorter end, her cover of “Barracuda” by Heart isn’t a cop-out; it’s a flex of her vocal talent that few, if any, pop stars of today possess.
After months of anticipation, the rising pop star’s Visions of Damsels and Other Dangerous Things Tour finally made its way to Kansas City on Friday, Oct. 3. Fans knew what to expect based on clips shared from her first four stops in New York, but you don’t really believe it’s happening until it’s right in front of you.
For 90 minutes, Roan, born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz out of Willard, Missouri, let a sold-out National WWI Museum and Memorial crowd (and fans who watched from outside the venue grounds even though they weren’t allowed to) know that not only is her star rising, but that she’ll be near the top as long as she wants to.
From the second she walked out onto a castle-like stage dressed as a medieval princess to trash a man’s “fugly” jeans in the song “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” amid a dramatic fairytale storybook setup, she had the entire crowd in the palm of her hand. They ate up every high note she hit on “Good Luck, Babe” and her newest song, “The Subway.”
Roan even waved her hands to the crowd like a princess addressing her loyal subjects, showing that she was anything but a damsel in distress.
“Can you believe it?” Roan said. “We’re in Kansas City.”
It’s been a meteoric rise for Roan over the past year. Kansas Citians will remember that her last show in town was scheduled for The Truman in April 2024, but moved to The Midland Theatre to fit the demand. Just a few days later, she set the music world on fire at the music festival Coachella, then Governor’s Ball in June 2024.
Pair that with a Grammy award for Best New Artist, fans willing to go the extra mile to with themed costumes and all the charisma in the world, and you’ve got all the makings of a superstar.
With only 25 songs to her name, Roan performed 17 original tracks plus the aforementioned “Barracuda.” The all-woman band brought out the best rock star in Roan, pairing her showstopping vocals with heavy guitar riffs, none greater than the outro to “Pink Pony Club,” which drew one of the loudest reactions of the night from the crowd of over 30,000.
The towering stage aided in the presentation, and while Roan stands at 5’2”, she was larger than life during her show. At times, it felt like she was taking a victory lap and soaking in the adoration from the crowd.
“This is so awesome to come home and after this. It’s so awesome to see the city show up for me,” Roan said. “It’s so awesome to see all the pink lights and coffee shops and thrift shops and people in a good mood.
“It makes me so happy and it makes me feel so loved and affirmed that this is what I’m meant to do.”
An unabashed proponent of queer joy, Roan is one of few artists from the Midwest who are shining a spotlight on the LGBTQ+ community in this region of the country (Kansas City, Kansas’ Janelle Monae being another). A lesbian, she doesn’t hide it in her lyrics or her presentation, something her fans appreciate and look up to her for.
It’s hard not to feel loved in a sea of pink cowboy hats, rodeo clowns and thousands of people connecting with your work. As fun as it was for her to “teach” the crowd how to do the “HOT TO GO!” dance (everyone knew what to do), it had to mean a lot more for the crowd to sing along to the slower songs that may not translate well to the live stage, like “Coffee” and “California.”
With rumors of Roan taking a years-long break to write her next album, it’d be a shame if this was the last we hear from her. Music needs a super graphic ultra modern girl like her around.
This story was originally published October 4, 2025 at 5:10 AM.