At Ladyland, a Bratty, Brash Pride Celebration Featuring Tinashe, Aliyah’s Interlude, and More
Photo Credit: Paigge Warton
Thousands spent their final weekend of New York City’s Pride month festivities bathed in sweat and stage lights — shielded by those Y2K silver sunnies you can either buy designer or a I-95 gas station — at LadyLand, the two-night music festival where headliners Tinashe and Charli XCX collaborator/PC Music producer A.G. Cook took the party into the early morning hours.
The three stages (“Fist,” “Resist,” and “the Truck”) were laid out in the urban jungle of Under The K Bridge Park, where Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood borders Queens. It was a perfect backdrop to the stunning performances by queer and trans performers like Arca, whose pop star-level set made clear why she had the late Saturday slot; rappers Baby Tate and Tokischa; drag queens including Kandy Muse and Bob the Drag Queen; French rising star Lucky Love; and several other DJs and artists.
The vibes were at the intersection of “Brat” (and though Charli wasn’t on the lineup, A.G. Cook briefly played “365,” making the crowd go wild) and ballroom, with high fashion thrown in for good measure. Julia Fox, who had a 9:30 pm DJ set Saturday night, strutted by me as a friend and I were waiting for Arca’s set to begin, hardly even drawing eyes in a crowd full of well-dressed NYC LGBTs. It was almost a struggle for the fashion on stage to match the energy of the crowd… almost.
“Honestly, it's been so f*cking amazing. The thing is most of my audience is already queer, so it's kind of like a regular concert with just more rainbows,” laughs Aliyah’s Interlude, the 21-year-old whose TikTok virality inspired not only a fashion trend in #AliyahCore, but has led to an already-successful burgeoning music career. The crowd was hype to see her backup dancers vogueing, as well as her predictably impeccable look, her beat covered with bright stars (a trend that would dominate TikTok that weekend after the release of Megan Thee Stallion’s “Mamushi”).
“I’ve been embraced by this community that’s always been there for me from day one. Being somebody who didn't grow up in the most accepting family, having a big-ass family at every performance feels so validating,” Aliyah says over the thumping bass of the performer following her show on Friday night.The set’s culmination in a performance of her hit “IT GIRL” felt apropos for the event’s celebratory, self-loving theme, which Aliyah appreciated in the crowd, too: “Pride month is low-key the best month of the year because everyone outside is c**t as f*ck. I love every part of it.”
On Saturday at LadyLand, the vogue ball was set to begin just after midnight, but in true queer fashion, it started a bit late — which didn’t matter at all once the show was underway. The ball was judged by a lineup featuring Bob the Drag Queen, Arca, Tokischa, and Sevdaliza, plus a surprise guest: Madonna (yes, that Madonna). Despite being a surprise on the lineup, a man with gray hair about 10 feet ahead of me, wearing Madonna tour merch, had clearly expected her presence; that isn’t so surprising since she’s been bringing vogue performers and drag queens on tour with her, including Bob.
Related: Tokischa's Metamorphosis
Four ballroom houses – the Houses of Miyake Mugler, Balenciaga, Alpha and Omega, and Tisci – competed, with the House of Miyake Mugler winning the night. Leaving the vogue ball competition late Saturday night, the ground was strewn with those gas station sunnies, fallen soldiers in the weekend’s revelry.
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
Want more great Culture stories from Teen Vogue? Check these out:
A New Generation of Pretty Little Liars Takes on the Horrors of Being a Teenage Girl
Underneath Chappell Roan’s Hannah Montana Wig? A Pop Star for the Ages
Donald Glover’s Swarm Is Another Piece of Fandom Media That Dehumanizes Black Women
On Velma, Mindy Kaling, and Whether Brown Girls Can Ever Like Ourselves on TV
Gaten Matarazzo Talks Spoilers, Dustin Henderson, and Growing Up on Stranger Things
How K-pop Stars Are Leading Mental Health Conversations for AAPI People and Beyond
Meet the Collective of Philly TikTokers Making You Shake Your Hips
The Midnight Club Star Ruth Codd Isn’t Defined By Her Disability
