Chappell Roan Ignites Queens with Nancy Wilson Cameo
At Forest Hills Stadium on a breezy fall night in Queens, Chappell Roan closed her set not with a bow but a blaze: a cover of “Barracuda” that tore through the humid air like a blade through buttercream. Except this time, she wasn’t alone. Nancy Wilson—yes, that Nancy Wilson, guitar goddess and co-founder of Heart—walked onstage mid-riff like a glam-rock mirage and turned Roan’s already-unhinged rendition into a full-blown exorcism of classic rock ghosts.
A Fever Dream Kickoff
The moment capped Roan’s kickoff to her fall pop-up tour, a series of city-hopping, venue-flipping shows that feel less like concerts and more like fever dreams choreographed by John Waters. Known for her maximalist makeup, high camp theatrics, and command of ‘80s synth-pop dramatics, Roan has been sneaking “Barracuda” into sets like contraband for the last year. But this marked the first time she summoned the original sorceress of the track to unleash it with her.
A Ritual, Not Just a Cover
Wilson—still every bit the six-string sorcerer—let fly that iconic riff with a smirk that said, “I’ve still got it,” while Roan, part banshee and part Broadway, belted like a woman possessed. The age gap vanished, time folded. It wasn’t just a cover. It was a ritual.
Roan’s Genius: Camp with Catharsis
And that’s the genius of Roan. She’s a pop star raised on drag, irony, and catharsis, whose setlists ping-pong from mascara-streaked heartbreak to full-on karaoke catharsis. “Red Wine Supernova” and “Casual” shimmer with ABBA-adjacent melancholy, but when she pulls out covers like “Barracuda,” she doesn’t just sing them—she reanimates them. Her version isn’t retro. It’s retribution.
A Bridge Between Glam and Grit
Pair that with Nancy Wilson’s cameo and you get more than nostalgia. You get a bridge between glam and grit, show tune and shred. You get a reminder that women in music don’t just inherit, they invent, reinvent, and resurrect.
Reanimating Rock, One Howl at a Time
If Roan’s rise has felt meteoric, it’s because she’s figured out what many acts haven’t, camp doesn’t mean unserious. Her voice—big, brassy, almost defiantly theatrical—makes room for heartbreak and high kicks alike. Heart understood that in the ’70s, and Roan’s proving it again in the 2020s, one crowd-slaying howl at a time.
@allthingschappell This is historical Chappell roan and Nancy Wilson at night 2 of New York Forest Hills #chappellroan #nancywilson #heart #fyp #barracuda ♬ original sound – All things Chappell
@allthingschappell this is HERSTORY! Chappell Roan and Nancy Wilson perform Barracuda together at New York Forest Hills night 2 #chappellroan #nancywilson #heart #barracuda #foryou ♬ original sound – All things Chappell
