By Annabel Farringer
After the rise of Chappell Roan this summer, it is clear that opening at concerts can be very beneficial for upcoming artists. While some people come to see both the opener and the main act, many people have never heard of the openers.
Openers are like a warm up before a big game or race. They are typically less popular and perform smaller sets than the main artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, and Kenny Chesney.
Openers give people the opportunity to learn about new upcoming artists and expose them to the opener’s songs and stage presence. Parker Holley is a sophomore in high
Photo Courtesy of Ryan Bakerink
school who attends concerts regularly and enjoys finding new music. Holley said, “The openers are one of my favorite parts of concerts because I have discovered some of my favorite artists from them being openers”. One of Parker’s favorite bands is Hey Nothing, a group that opened before Briston Maroney at Paradise Festival.
Gracie Abrams opened for Taylor Swift on The Eras Tour and Olivia Rodrigo on the Sour Tour. These two tours have made her immensely popular, and she now has over 21 million followers on Instagram. Her new album, “The Secret Of Us”, which has a song featuring Taylor Swift on it along with 12 other tracks was very successful on the charts, peaking at spot number 2. As she kicks off her tour in September, Abrams is finishing her Eras Tour debut with the last 9 American shows in October.
Chappell Roan and Megan Moroney are other examples of openers that have blown up after performing for mainstream artists. Chappell Roan, a newly christened internet sensation after her songs “HOT TO GO!” and “Good Luck, Babe!”, opened for Olivia Rodrigo on the Guts World Tour.
I attended the Nashville Guts Tour in the beginning of March, and very few people knew Chappell’s songs. After Rodrigo hit more and more cities, Chappell Roan started getting more and more popular.
I was able to attend another show of the Guts Tour in Detroit, a couple weeks after the Nashville show, and half of the stadium was dancing and singing to Roan’s set. Her hit song “Hot To Go” is number one on the Spotify charts.
One of Kenny Chesney’s openers, Megan Moroney, has made her name in the country music industry. She was able to maximize her fame by releasing a new album while on tour with Kenny Chesney. This tactic was also used by Gracie Abrams and has proven to be effective.
Liz Burnstein, a Harpeth Hall sophomore who loves country music, attended Kenny Chesney’s show and saw Megan Moroney in Nashville. Burnstein said, “Once I had the opportunity to see her live, I definitely got more into her music”.
Not only do openers gain traction and fame, but also they learn from the experience to make them better performers. Both Gracie Abrams and Megan Moroney have explained that they have watched and learned from their main acts.
Moroney said, “I literally watch his whole show every night-side stage- trying to learn from him. From everything he does on the stage to interacting with his fans, I’m trying to take note of every move he makes”.
Performing on tour as an opening act can be beneficial in many ways, including growth, fame, and experience. It can lead to more opportunities and collaborations in the music industry later on. Opening acts are a great start for a new upcoming artist who is trying to make it big.