Chappell vs Hozier: A Leeds Festival Review

A lineup that’s scrutinised repeatedly, year after year, is Leeds Festival. Keyboard warriors take to the internet to complain that their favourite artist hasn’t made the cut or that the festival has become ‘too mainstream’ for the diehard rock purists. This year, the organisers announced a joint headliner for Saturday night, Irish folk legend Hozier and pop princess Chappell Roan, whose growth in popularity in the past year has been unprecedented. Initially, people rejoiced. These artists balanced out the festival from the hip-hop and rock headliners on the other two days. But when the schedule showed that Roan would be performing before Hozier, people were outraged. Streaming-wise, she slightly pips Hozier on the number of monthly listeners on Spotify. Experience-wise, however, Hozier has been releasing music for a lot longer. But is the running order a worthy thing for people to get annoyed over? I don’t think so. If they were clashing? Then potentially, maybe. The Gryphon danced, cried and sang the night away in both crowds, and here’s what our writers had to say about each performance. 

She’s Queen of the Night: Welcome Chappell Roan

The stage is set. Gothic architecture drapes its way from the floor to the scaffolds, as two turrets tower above the expectant gathered crowd. Green lights and smoke pour through the arches and spires, casting eerie shadows onto the outstretched hands below, as gargoyles watch over from their stony perches. The air is filled with unearthly synths and dissonant horns, as repetitive, haunting motifs are layered one on top of the other, as if pulled from an eighties horror film. If the gates to the fantastical castle weren’t inscribed with the infamous ‘CR’, the tension in the arena would be expected to be that of dread and fear, rather than the buzz of excitement and anticipation. As the band flow seamlessly into a dramatised version of ‘Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl’, a figure rises. In an outfit that could only be described as gothic glam’s take on Elizabethan England styling, Chappell Roan has finally arrived.  

Hits from her 2023 debut, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, are transformed for the live audience by an incredible all-female band, which at times resembles more of a fully-fledged rock performance than a pop affair. The response to the new single ‘The Subway’ is electric, with the star herself commenting that Leeds is “the loudest crowd” she’s performed the tale of heartbreak to so far. ‘Hot To Go’ sees thousands upon thousands of fans performing the now infamous dance routine in time with Chappell, before she descends into an intoxicatingly gorgeous cover of Heart’s ‘Barracuda’. ‘Red Wine Supernova’ is not only a celebration of queer love in any form it comes, but an ode to embracing sexuality and newfound discoveries.

Having walked around the rest of the grounds earlier in the day, this year the festival has certainly felt like a more inclusive affair. While the stereotypes of Reading and Leeds being the place to go after finishing GCSEs remain, the restructured camping sites, new stages, and increased sales of day tickets make the crowd more varied. Parents with young children on their shoulders now dance to the Midwest Princess, and queer couples of all ages hold each other in their arms. Some attendees are adorned head to toe in the drag-inspired fashion of Chappell herself, while many supportive partners wear a more casual pink neckerchief to show their appreciation. It truly is a marvel to behold. 

At the set’s crescendo, ‘Pink Pony Club’ echoes for miles around as Roan’s guitarist concludes the set with an electrifying solo. Bramham Park has transformed into a celebration for the era-defining artist, with arguably the weekend’s biggest and loudest crowd. She’s bold and she’s exceptional. The Midwest Princess is here to stay, and if her debut album and live performances are anything to go by, Chappell Roan’s future is crowned in stardom. 

Words by Arabella Wright

Tender Love and Calls for Action: Hozier Live at Leeds Festival 

The crowds parted and the dust settled, becoming grit in my hair and sand on my skin. Our rough hands clasped as we stood, revered and waiting. Faded giddiness became awe, and Andrew Hozier-Byrne graced an empty stage. Not alone with his circle of humbly wonderful talent, he thanked every individual in his band. Opening with a different set than the night before, he started with punchy, singalong tracks, the recently skyrocketed ‘Nobody’s Soldier’ set the tone for a politically motivated evening, backed with statistics on screen simply tracking the wealth of major corporations, politicians and defence companies. This rolled into long-time crowd favourites ‘Jackie and Wilson’, and ‘Angel of Codeine…’, to the absolute delight of the crowd. Hozier’s gentle reminders of his previous work, and lightly tying in his newer albums, was a delicately, well-balanced joy. He spoke quickly between songs, detailing the raw emotion of each track, and pulling influences from Dante’s Inferno to mould the structure of his most recent record. 

A gut wrenching 20 minutes awaited, leading with the ebb and flow of ‘Like Real People Do’ in front of a softly waving woodland backdrop, before Hozier dropped, away from the stage and arose in the middle of the crowd, for acoustic spotlit versions of ‘Cherry Wine’ and ‘Unknown/Nth’ – we felt spoilt, for him to treat our hearts so tenderly (we cried, a lot). The second half of the set held many favourites, had the crowd singing, swaying, in a communal lament – but there were moments of fierce joy as he spoke softly, quickly between songs, and we clung to each other for ‘Francesca’, and lifted our feet for ‘Too Sweet’. After massive TikTok success this year, Hozier’s platform has only grown further, but his genuine talent, which has always defined his art, is the root of his fanbase. As this has grown, though, he has become more vocal, speaking out for his passions and making a point to be transparent and educational with his audience. 

As the setlist dwindled, Hozier only became more riled up, and he began to speak, articulating thoughtfully about the genocide in Palestine and the need for action, change, and reeducation. He honoured the great artists before him who spoke out, and used their music for change, one of which being Mavis Staples, who he collaborated with for ‘Nina Cried Power’, which was welcomed by the young crowd with outrageous applause and screams of support. Flashing names of artists from the last 75 years who carried these qualities flooded the stage, and there was a real sense of genuine community, respect and a fight for change. After such an affecting moment, he simply said his goodbyes and thank yous to both the audience and every single member of his band before drawing the show to a close with fireworks. ‘Take Me To Church’ led a singalong that spanned the length of the field, but the message of Hozier’s set lingered long after, gentle but ferociously poignant and righteous. 

Words by Millie Cain