Lollapalooza’s opening day saw the typical large crowds descend on Grant Park, with virtually perfect weather after past years of rain and extreme heat. Here are some highlights from notable sets on Lolla’s first day.

Normani brings the heat

Former Fifth Harmony member Normani played an afternoon set — her first individual Lolla performance after Khalid brought her on stage last year to perform their hit single “Love Lies.”  Normani told the large crowd that she had no idea how many people would come to her set, and expressed gratitude to those who did. In addition to her recent releases and “Love Lies,” Normani also performed a medley of old Fifth Harmony hits, including “Work from Home” and “Worth It.” Normani’s intricate vocals combined with her intense choreography demonstrated why some fans have compared her performance style to Beyoncé’s. 

H.E.R. shows off her many talents

H.E.R., who’s had a breakout couple of years after collaborating with Daniel Caesar on “Best Part” and releasing her “I Used To Know Her” EP, took command of multiple guitars to demonstrate not only her vocal but instrumental ability. From covering Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor” to putting her own soulful spin on “Make It Rain,”  H.E.R. made sure to include her favorites from other artists — but still put the focus on her expanding discography, singing “Avenue” and “Hard Place” as the crowd joined in. She also threw in a few guitar solos along the way. 

A giant couch for King Princess

It was all about the set for rising pop star King Princess, who performed her well-known tracks “1950” and “Talia” in front of a giant couch onstage against a backdrop of clouds. The backdrop matched her dreamy yet empowering pop, and the crowd belted out her popular hits. They excitedly listened to her new singles from her upcoming album — “Prophet” and “Cheap Queen,” to name a few. King Princess also eagerly performed a few unreleased songs, which the crowd received well. 

The Chainsmokers host a full house

To close out the day, The Chainsmokers performed a headlining set on the Bud Light Stage, unsurprisingly attracting a massive crowd. A production duo whose most famous hits feature a slew of artists from different genres, many of the songs they played were accompanied by a live performance from the artist featured. Daya, who performed at this year’s Dillo Day, showed up for “Don’t Let Me Down.” Country singer Kelsea Ballerini burst onstage to perform “This Feeling,” Bebe Rexha came out for “Call You Mine,” and Ty Dolla $ign and bülow made an appearance during “Do You Mean.” Perhaps the most surprising guest of the night was Isaac Slade, the lead singer of The Fray, who helped write one of The Chainsmokers’ biggest hits, “Closer.” Slade appeared onstage to perform The Fray’s hit “Over My Head (Cable Car).” The performance included plenty of beat drops and fireworks to get the crowd hyped for the last set of the day. 

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