A Deep Dive Into Tate McRae’s All Gold Lollapalooza Look

Festival beauty has always been about making a statement, but Tate McRae may have just raised the bar.

Closing out her headline set at Lollapalooza in Chicago on Sunday night, the 23-year-old singer delivered one of the festival’s most talked-about moments by emerging completely covered in shimmering liquid gold during the final moments of her performance.

The dramatic visual instantly lit up social media, with fans comparing McRae to a living sculpture and even a modern-day Midas. While the performance itself was packed with choreography and multiple outfit changes, it was the glittering gold finale that became the image everyone was sharing online.

@tatequalityy the most iconic popstar ever WHAT #tatemcrae #fyp ♬ original sound – tatequalityy

According to McRae’s longtime makeup artist, Kali Kennedy, the gold mixture was specially created for the performance by Blair Adhesives, a company known for producing the iconic slime used at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. Rather than traditional body paint, the formula was made from methyl cellulose, copper and water, creating a safe, skin-friendly metallic liquid that could coat the singer while still allowing her to move freely on stage.

The scale of the production was just as impressive as the finished look. Kennedy revealed that around 67 gallons of the gold mixture were used during the live performance, while an astonishing 135 gallons were required to create the pre-recorded visual of McRae immersed in a gold bath that accompanied the show.

The gold immersion wasn’t the only beauty moment Kali created. Kennedy kept McRae’s makeup warm and luminous to complement the metallic effect, pairing peach-toned blush with softly bronzed skin, dramatic winged eyeliner and subtle body gems that caught the stage lights. The result was glamorous and a perfect combination to Tate’s lighter blonde locks she has been rocking recently.

 

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Fashion also played a major role in the visual storytelling. Throughout the performance, McRae wore a series of custom white looks created with creative director Ludovic de Saint Sernin and image director Ignacio Muñoz. The clean, minimalist costumes provided the perfect contrast to the explosive gold finale, helping the final transformation feel even more theatrical.

The performance marked a milestone for the 23-year-old, who headlined Lollapalooza for the first time after also topping the bill at Montreal’s Osheaga Festival the previous evening. Fans have praised the ambitious staging, the choreography, the live vocals and the fashion as well as the golden finale.

But naturally, fans immediately began searching for a deeper meaning. Across TikTok, X and Instagram, many have been speculating that the all-gold aesthetic could be more than just a festival stunt.

 

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Some believe the striking gold visuals may be the first glimpse into McRae’s next musical chapter, suggesting the performance could be teasing the visual identity of an upcoming project or album. Others have pointed out that major pop stars increasingly use headline festival appearances to quietly introduce new aesthetics months before officially announcing fresh music.

So far, McRae has not confirmed that the gold imagery is connected to any future release, and there’s been no official announcement linking the performance to a new album. But that hasn’t stopped fans from dissecting every frame of the show, convinced the carefully crafted visuals are too deliberate to be a coincidence.

Whether the look inspires a wave of metallic festival beauty remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Tate McRae has created a beauty moment that people won’t forget anytime soon.

Words by Robyn Jane Lawlor