Iggy Azalea A Bit Izzy At Lollapalooza, Rihanna, Eminem Save The Day
Although Iggy Azalea headlined Friday’s Lollapalooza 2014 Music Festival, her stage routine was far from fancy, and even had some fans thinking “Who Dat? Who Dat?” on day one. Perhaps that explains why some Lollapalooza reviews were lukewarm at best. Thankfully, a set that included Eminem and Rihanna saved the day, and teen fans found a way to rock on, according to Billboard.
Chicago’s Grant Park was densely populated with teens, music lovers, and college yuppies in place to celebrate the 10th running of the popular music gala. Mother Nature almost dampened the spirit of the first day’s billing with a few thunder showers, but it quickly cleared up.
By 4:30 pm, Iggy Azalea took to the Lollapalooza stage, and fans waiting for a glimpse of the Australian femcee nearly caused a Running of the Bulls as they jockeyed for spots close to the stage. Judging from the stampede, one would think Iggy had more than a single hot EP under her belt, or MJ had come back from the afterlife.
Azalea, clad in spandex workout gear which accentuated her serpentine figure, got things popping with Beat Down, followed by other joints like My World, Change Your Life, and Pu$$Y. Her ensemble mirrored her duds from London’s Wireless Festival last month. Only then, she wore shorts instead of pants.
Fans appeared to be disconnected at times and not dialed in as Iggy spit her flow. As a writer from JSOnline put it about the festival’s first day, although “thousands of people were physically there, they weren’t exactly there either.”
Much of that can be blamed on the fact that Iggy is a relatively newcomer to the Lolly scene. The other reason for seemingly disengaged fans likely centered on Azalea’s lack of stage presence. In her defense, outdoor venues can be hard to rally, especially with artists who have never played there. However, from the glacial pace at which Iggy was working the stage, she didn’t seem all there either, as a reviewer explained.
Thanks to the bass-heavy beats from DJ Wizz Kidd, and Iggy finally gracing the crowd with her chart-smashing summer singalong, Fancy, the crowd suddenly rose from the depths of nothingness. The I-G-G-Y had arrived.
Other notable performances from the 2014 Lollapalooza festival were when Eminem and Rihanna took to the stage. Although fans didn’t get a resurgence of the 2011 performance from Em, he still proved he can rock a mic like a throwback to his Lose Yourself days.
Arguably, the most memorable moment of the night — no diss to Iggy — was when RiRi surprised fans onstage and joined the veteran emcee. One half-hour into Em’s joint, she and Slim Shady entertained the crowd with Love The Way You Lie, Stan, and The Monster.
Lorde’s curative, hypnotic and defibrillator-like arm movements were a welcome addition to a crowd eager to get a live glimpse of the Royals hitmaker. The New Zealander has been taking the states by storm, thanks to the non-stop airplay radio stations are giving her. The 17-year-old is now taking her talent to film; recently she was tapped to curate the The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 soundtrack.
On the honors, Lorde had this to say:
I changed a lot, because in the last 16, 17 months, all the music I’ve been listening to has changed a lot,” she says. “Just like lots more music, lots more different music — I’m seeking out music that’s difficult to listen to as opposed to just listening to fun (stuff) all the time, which I think affects you as a writer.”
Each year, the music scene becomes more diverse and the crowd more demanding. Gone are the days of Woodstock (1969) and the Ozark Music Festival (1974). And it looks like the musical palette is getting younger.
All told, Iggy Azalea — who, by the way, thinks Lorde is an “awesome chick,” — and all other Lolly billed artists, amped up the crowed in their own way. But at the end of the day, it ain’t nothing but a party, right?
[Image via Getty Images, ThatGrapeJuice]
