The theme of powerful women dominating the stages at Corona Capital 2025 carried straight into day two of the Mexico City festival on Saturday, November 15.
Across the Hermanos Rodríguez Racetrack, the unofficial dress code was unmistakable: pink cowboy hats, white tasseled knee-high boots, flowing red and pink wigs, glitter-heavy makeup and plenty of crowns. Pink balloons floated above the crowd in long, shimmering columns, tethered to strings and bobbing in the festival breeze.
Headliner Chappell Roan’s fans — the loud, loyal, glitter-streaked masses — showed up early and in force for their queen.
The longest lines at the festival grounds weren’t for food or beer but for a chance to climb onto a massive pink pony sculpture for a photo-op worthy of the “Pink Pony Club.” The vibe was electric, overflowing with positivity and inclusive love.
By 11 p.m., anticipation had turned feverish as the rising superstar took the Corona Main Stage. After Lady Gaga’s “Applause” and Rihanna’s “S&M” shook the field, the Chappell Roan spectacle cut through the Mexico City night.
Or maybe it was the start of a Tim Burton movie.
Dramatic music boomed as cat-like glowing eyes flickered across the screen, washed in eerie green light. A towering stone bridge, guarded by gargoyle silhouettes, loomed at centre stage. The screen erupted into apocalyptic chaos — and then Roan appeared.
She launched into ‘Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl’ wearing a full white wedding gown and veil. Her long, curly red hair spilled down her back, but the real shock was the crimson mouth guard staining her lips — a bloody-fang effect against her pale skin that pushed her deep into vampire-like, “Corpse Bride Club” territory.
Could this be the next evolution of Roan’s aesthetic?
She addressed the look almost immediately.
“I look kind of scary tonight, I know,” she told the crowd. “I wanted to be a screaming banshee, and so I was like ‘I’ll be scary’ because I feel like Mexico City can handle it. I literally think this city is the only place that can handle me looking like this.”
Roan led the crowd through a YMCA-style routine for ‘HOT TO GO!’ – by then, she had shed most of the gown and veil, revealing the high-energy pop renegade underneath. She tore through her hits with the support of her all-female, all-kickass band.
“Are you ready to get naked in Manhattan?” she shouted, grinning. “Can you believe it? We’re at Corona Capital!”
The theatrics were bold, but her talent carried the night. Her dynamic range on ‘Casual’ was mesmerizing, and the notes she held in ‘The Subway’ stretched longer than a typical ride on the Sistema de Transporte Colectivo.
Her cover of Heart’s ‘Barracuda,’ driven by crunchy guitar riffs, jolted the crowd with a welcome blast of rock-and-roll dopamine.
Roan’s fuck-you confidence radiated as she bounded across the stage and darted through the gothic stone bridge set piece. It’s no wonder she’s built a fanbase willing to prep for her concerts with the same dedication some reserve for prom night.
With her swagger, vocal firepower and deep connection to her fans, she’s well on her way to becoming this generation’s Madonna.
More SWOMP photos, below
Corona Capital 2025 wraps up Sunday, November 16.
Watch for full festival coverage in SWOMP.