Caroline Kingsbury Brings Philly on a "Flight" to "Heaven"

Like much of the country, I was fully living my best brat summer in 2024—cycling between Charli XCX’s Brat, Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, and Sabrina Carpenter’s Short ‘n Sweet, depending on my mood. That’s when Caroline Kingsbury first showed up on my TikTok FYP—and I was instantly hooked.

It’s rare to find an artist whose sound and aesthetic feel truly one-of-kind. Kingsbury is that rare find. Her style is a bold nod to the glam rock and pop icons of the 1980s, and that same decade bleeds into her music—big synths, soaring hooks, and a fearless, anthemic energy that’s impossible to ignore. When I noticed she was going to be in Philadelphia supporting Pom Pom Squad, I was eager to see her live. What I witnessed on February 26 was the kind of performance that makes you say, yep, that’s a star in the making (Kingsbury has since been announced for this year’s Lollapalooza and All Things Go).

Wednesday night marked the kickoff of Pom Pom Squad’s Mirror Ball Tour—and Caroline Kingsbury’s first-ever tour. Judging by the cheers that erupted as she stepped on stage, it was clear a good number of people had shown up early just for her.

She dove headfirst into a high-energy set that pulled from both her debut LP, Heaven’s Just a Flight (2021), and her latest EP, I Really Don’t Care! (2024). Between songs, she shared candid stories of grief, healing, and resilience—punctuated by a fiery, unapologetic “fuck you” to the newly reinstated Trump administration. It was raw, defiant, and exactly the kind of catharsis that makes live music feel electric.

Closing her set with the banger “Kissing Someone Else” (the song that first introduced me to her), it was clear to me that this would be the last time Philadelphia would see Caroline Kingsbury in such a small venue. Her star is rising fast, and Philly just got a front-row seat to the beginning. I look forward to following Kingsbury’s Flight.