Noah Kahan and Chappell Roan Perform ‘California’ at Rose Bowl

Noah Kahan brought out surprise guest Chappell Roan last night at his Rose Bowl Stadium show in Pasadena, California. The collaboration served as a highlight of the evening, delighting the massive crowd with a poignant rendition of one of Roan’s most personal tracks.

The pair joined forces to deliver “California” from Roan’s 2023 debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. The song was a fitting choice for their Los Angeles-area appearance, as it poignantly addresses Roan leaving her Missouri home to pursue her career in the city. It was one of 27 songs Kahan performed on Saturday, coming just before the encore.

In fan-filmed footage, the two shared a fist bump before Roan expressed her gratitude for the invitation. “Noah always stands up for me, seriously,” she said. “He’s a good person, for real.”

Kahan shared his own admiration for the rising star, noting, “This is the first song I ever heard of Kayleigh’s [Roan’s given first name] and the reason I fell in love with her music, and I’m just really proud of her and thankful that she would come sing with me. So this is ‘California.'”

Roan launched into the a cappella-begun song before Kahan joined in to back her on acoustic guitar, with the two trading verses and harmonizing on the chorus. Kahan is currently in the midst of his The Great Divide world tour, which continues to Petco Park in San Diego. Meanwhile, Roan is preparing for a series of upcoming performances, including a special event at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles this October to benefit her Midwest Princess Project.