Nancy Wilson Joins Chappell Roan for a Ripping “Barracuda” at Forest Hills (9/21/25)
Watch Nancy Wilson and Chappel Roan sing “Barracuda” here:
Why this matters
A hall-of-famer guitarist and a breakout pop powerhouse met at the exact song that unites them: Heart’s 1977 classic “Barracuda.” The collab wasn’t just a fun cameo — it showcased how canonized classic-rock anthems continue to find new life with Gen Z audiences, powered by artists like Roan who treat these songs as living, breathing main-set highlights.
What happened
On Sunday, September 21, 2025, during the second night of Chappell Roan’s four-show stand at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, Nancy Wilson strode out to roaring applause for a surprise “Barracuda.” Roan has been covering the track regularly; before launching in, she told the crowd it’s one of her all-time favorites — setting up a goosebump moment when one of its creators stepped out to play it with her.
How it sounded
Fan video and press clips capture Wilson’s signature galloping riff locked in with Roan’s powerhouse vocal, giving the performance the snap and swagger of Heart’s arena-rock prime while keeping Roan’s modern edge intact. It’s a textbook case of classic-rock DNA thriving in a new context: faithful enough to thrill purists, big and theatrical enough for a 2025 pop stage.
Context you should know
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Roan + “Barracuda” is a thing. She’s been folding the song into sets for more than a year and even highlighted it in year-end listening posts — so the surprise wasn’t that she played it, but who joined her.
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Forest Hills was a mini-residency. The New York run spans four shows, with “Barracuda” as a recurring set piece — and now, a definitive version with Wilson herself.
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Classic-rock bridge building works. Moments like this energize both sides: Roan wins rock cred with casual classic-rock fans, and Heart’s catalog trends with younger listeners who discover the original through a viral duet.
Key takeaways for fans and editors
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Headline hook: “Heart’s Nancy Wilson crashes Chappell Roan’s Forest Hills show for ‘Barracuda’ blowout.”
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SEO targets: nancy wilson, chappell roan, barracuda live, heart barracuda cover, forest hills stadium, classic rock news
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Angle: Cross-generational rock handoff; viral moment with Hall-of-Fame pedigree; legacy catalog discovery via modern pop tours.
Quick FAQ
When and where did it happen? Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York.
Did Ann Wilson appear? Coverage and footage center on Nancy Wilson joining Roan; Ann Wilson was not shown on stage.
Why “Barracuda”? It’s a Roan live favorite and a Heart signature, making it the perfect shared language for the collab.
Key Takeaways
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consequence.net | Consequence of Sound
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ultimateclassicrock.com | Ultimate Classic Rock
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www.stereogum.com | StereoGum
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