ACL DAY 3
MUSIC FESTIVAL
Austin City Limits Wraps Up Its First Weekend with Magic
The Killers. Photo by Chris Phelps for ACL Festival 2025.
Austin City Limits’ third day closed the first weekend with the same energy it started. The two big stages ended with two very different parties: John Summit turned the T-Mobile stage into a massive electronic dance floor, while The Killers waved a giant Texas flag as the backdrop to their unapologetically American rock set. It was the perfect combination to close the first weekend of one of the most anticipated music festivals in the United States. Yes — Austin truly is the music capital of the world.
AUSTIN, TX. By Pablo Herrera
For Teens Media Network, this third day marked the culmination of a three-day marathon. We met musicians, connected with other journalists, and discovered new artists. ACL’s first weekend came to an end, but for us it became a lesson in music, passion, experimentation, and joy. It was also an opportunity to keep learning — making the mistakes we need to grow, improving our reporting, teaching our creators, and, most importantly, enjoying the ride.
The day began with our exclusive interview with Zinadelphia, the young singer making her ACL debut, and a first big interview experience for our creator Aja. The conversation was sweet and inspiring. Zinadelphia, a self-made musician from Philadelphia, is not only one of the most promising voices in the U.S. (and beyond), but also a charismatic presence who understands the power of music, emotion, and communication. The full interview is coming soon — stay tuned.
TMN Creator Aja Haywood interviewing emerging singer Zinadelphia.
Starting early also gave us the chance to discover artists who may be opening the day now but could be the stars of tomorrow. That was the case with Flowerovlove, the emerging British-Ivorian singer, songwriter, producer, and model Joyce Cissé. She didn’t just perform — she connected. At one point, she invited a young boy and girl on stage, making the crowd cheer for them so they could feel the magic of being up there. It was a beautiful moment of connection, and beyond that, she is genuinely talented: a mix of sweetness and strength with a bright future ahead.
Watch a snippet of Flowerovlove’ performance. Cover photo: Greg Noire for ACL Festival 2025.
By 4 p.m., it was time for Harrison Patrick Smith (aka The Dare). The Californian brought pure energy to the stage, dressed in a suit — only to laugh and admit mid-set: “OMG, I hope none of you had to wear a suit today.” He closed with “Girls,” sending the crowd into chaos, proving why his music resonates so strongly with Gen Z.
Watch a snippet of The Dare’ performance. Cover photo: Izzy Nuzzo for ACL Festival 2025.
After his set, Aja and I split up. I headed to the American Express Stage to catch Wet Leg, while she checked out the Mexican band Midnight Generation, the groove-heavy quintet we had interviewed the day before.
Wet Leg, as always, were incredible — and better every time I see them. Their first ACL was in 2022, and since then, especially after Primavera Sound last summer, it’s clear they’ve matured. Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers interacted constantly with the crowd, full of humor and joy, clearly happy to be back in Texas.
Watch a snippet of Wet Leg’ performance. Cover photo: Greg Noire for ACL Festival 2025.
Meanwhile, Midnight Generation showed exactly why we were curious: clean sound, infectious energy, and even a choreographed dance routine that sent the crowd into a frenzy. They did not disappoint. Stay tuned for our conversation with them coming soon!
Watch a snippet of Midnight Generation’ performance. Cover photo: Pooneh Ghana for ACL Festival 2025.
Later, we caught Zinadelphia again, this time performing at the BMI Stage. Once again, she amazed us with her voice — blending jazz, soul, and R&B with modern urban touches. We felt lucky (and grateful) to have had the chance to interview her — an artist with the potential to become one of the greats. Stay tuned for our conversation coming soon.
Watch a snippet of Zinadelphia’ performance. Cover photo: Frankie Vergara for ACL Festival 2025.
After taking a deserved break at the press lounge, we were excited to see Colombian reggaeton star Feid (aka ‘Ferxxo’), who brought his neon-green world and urban anthems to ACL. As expected, his signature green flooded Zilker Park — and the design of his show is what truly stole our minds.
Watch a snippet of Feid’ performance. Cover photo: Dusana Risovic for ACL Festival 2025.
As the sun began to set, we rested briefly in the press lounge to edit and publish before heading to see Polo & Pan. The French electronic duo — Paul Armand-Delille and Alexandre Grynszpan — presented a dazzling mise-en-scène: colorful, geometric, playful, and perfectly polished. For their first ACL performance, they were nothing short of marvelous.
Watch a snippet of Polo & Pan’ performance.
When night fully fell, we rushed to the Beatbox Stage for Phantogram. Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter delivered a hypnotic blend of electronic rock, dream pop, and trip-hop. It was my first time seeing them, and I can say without hesitation: unforgettable.
Watch a snippet of Phantogram’ performance. Cover photo: Charles Reagan for ACL Festival 2025.
There was still time to circle back to the American T-Mobile for John Summit, who turned ACL into a rave. It was the first time I’ve seen the festival transformed into such a full-on dance party. Even the staff couldn’t resist moving to the beat.
Watch a snippet of John Summit’ performance. Cover photo: Taylor Regulski for ACL Festival 2025.
Finally, we ended with The Killers the last set of the weekend on the American Express Stage. A giant Texas flag, sing-along anthems, and a band that has become part of modern American rock history. It was everything you’d expect — intense, unapologetic, and iconic.
Watch a snippet of The Killers’ performance. Cover photo: Chris Phelps for ACL Festival 2025.
Hit play and join us
Visit our ACL YouTube playlist with 50+ videos — interviews and crowd moments — and follow along for exclusive ACL 2025 coverage and more. Every view helps us create real opportunities for the next generation of young creators.
Phoenix performing at ACL 2023. Photo: Nell Carroll/American-Statesman.
Thanks to Colectivo Piloto , our main sponsor, and to ACL Music Festival for supporting our educational mission and making this coverage possible.
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