Lollapalooza: Grimes & Dua Lipa Are Redefining the Girl Pop Rules

Music festivals are notorious for skimming out on female acts on their lineups, especially when it comes to pop singers. At this year's Lollapalooza, the lack of women (save for Lana Del Rey's drowsy headlining set and some female-fronted rock acts) was frustrating. But there were two pop artists who rode hard for the genre and even did it better than the boys: Dua Lipa and Grimes.

Dua's set was in the early hours on Saturday, so the crowd was sparse. But those who attended were treated to a hidden gem. The 20-year-old U.K. singer, who was one of my picks for the alt-pop girls of the summer, mastered her first-ever Lollapalooza performance with a seductive charm. Even people who had no idea who she was, like a guy rocking a Red Hot Chili Peppers band tee next to me, managed to fall under her spell. Most female pop singers nowadays use sex as a marketing ploy, but she genuinely exudes it.