British singer/songwriter Rachel Chinouriri burst onto the Forest Hills Stadium stage full of energy and love for 2025’s All Things Go Music Festival.

Stream: “Never Need Me” – Rachel Chinouriri

She had stars in her hair and in her eyes.

Rachel Chinouriri caught the attention of award-winning actress Florence Pugh, who then starred in the music video for “Never Need Me.” In 2025, Rachel Chinouriri collaborated with sombr for a new version of “All I Ever Asked.”

This year, she became one of the featured artists at All Things Go, a music festival taking place in Washington DC, New York City, and Toronto. She appeared at New York City’s Forest Hills Stadium on Friday, the same day as artists Djo and Lucy Dacus. She sauntered out with a ripped clothing look, complete with two silver star-shaped clips adorning her hair.

Part of Rachel Chinouriri’s appeal, at least up until seeing her live, was how easy it is to throw on her songs. Everything is listenable and just plain fun, whether you’re driving to work or picnicking on a late summer afternoon.

Rachel Chinouriri © Respective Collective — Rachel Chinouriri © All Things Go

When she’s on stage, though, something about Chinouriri really clicks. She looks each fan directly in the eyes when she’s waving at them. She played air guitar for some songs and triumphantly raised her microphone stand for others. It was almost palpable when the audience saw her; she just has so much energy and true stage presence.

Towards the end of her set, Rachel Chinouriri shared the meaning behind one song, initially about a crush, that later became about loving someone as a friend. She would often get voice notes describing similar relationships – the love between two friends and even the love between a fan and an artist.

“You can’t overspend it,” the artist noted. She shared her love for fans and for the security team that has been keeping everyone safe thus far.

“I want to encourage you all to tell someone you love them,” Chinouriri added, saying that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. As the performance went on, Chinouriri had attendees two step and “listen and repeat” for some songs. Everyone came alive for “All I Ever Asked” and “Never Needed Me.”

“Somewhere beneath the surface,
I wanna find if you’re the problem or the purpose.
‘Cause it’s borderline,
Never know if you’re sorry for what you said.
For all I know you adore me,
But keep it all inside your head”

– “All I Ever Asked,” Rachel Chinouriri

The certain “marketability” of pop stars today is undeniable – from Charli XCX’s chaotic Brat summer to Sabrina Carpenter’s ditsy, cutesy stage persona. Rachel Chinouriri has a certain Gen Z-reclaims-Y2K aesthetic that effortlessly matches her sound.

Songs like “Can We Talk About Isaac” feel like a poignant burst of teenage energy, with “Never Needed Me” feeling like an early 2000s pop rock-ish anthem. That’s especially true during her live performances, with the crowd screaming along to every lyric.

Rachel Chinouriri is truly a star on the rise.

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