Day 2 on Saturday of Austin City Limits 2025 brought one of the festival’s most varied and vibrant lineups, with artists straddling pop, rap, synth-glitch, indie, Latin and psych-rock all taking the spotlight. As the sun dipped, the energy turned electric—and few names illuminated the day (and night) like Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, Magdalena Bay, Olivia Dean, Latin Mafia and Ocean Alley.
The afternoon opened with Ocean Alley, the Australian psych-rock outfit whose shimmering guitars and dreamy grooves made for a refreshing sonic contrast under the Zilker Park skies. Their set eased the crowd into the evening, layering mellow textures and rhythmic riffs that felt like a coastal breeze in the peak heat of Central Texas. Their subtle yet expansive performance was the perfect palate cleanser ahead of the night’s high-voltage acts.
As the atmosphere shifted in the afternoon, Olivia Dean took to the American Express Stage with soulful vocals and such intimate delivery. Her emotive songwriting and poised stage presence struck a balance between vulnerability and strength, offering festivalgoers a heartfelt moment amid the festival’s rising intensity. One such highlight came as she introduced the song "Carmen," which is a tribute to her grandmother who migrated from the Caribbean to the U.K. Nodding to her grandmother's "bravery" as the reason she was standing on the stage today, she sweetly declared: "This is for my granny—and every immigrant ... They deserve to be celebrated," to which the crowd responded with rousing applause.
Later in the afternoon, the topic of immigration would unexpectedly but notably make its way into Latin Mafia's performance. As the Mexico City pop outfit brought a rowdy energy and tight harmonies to the Miller Lite Stage, a fan in the middle of the crowd was waving a giant "Fuck ICE" flag, referring to the federal government's Immigration and Customs Enforcement. While the band didn't initially seem to notice or acknowledge the flag, as they transitioned into their fourth song, one of the members shouted, "Yes, fuck ICE!" The crowd cheered, and he followed up by saying what sounded like, "And time to free Palestine!"
In the middle of such emotional and tenuous times in America (and certainly in Texas), their blend of Spanish and English, with danceable beats and emotive lyricism, engaged a growing crowd hungry for something fresh and bold, while bridging the day and night.
Later in the evening, Magdalena Bay brought their glitch-pop flair to the Ladybird Stage. Their set was a highlight for fans of the electronic and experimental side of pop: infectious melodies, cascading synths and a playful visual aesthetic made their performance feel like a vivid dream in motion. The crowd was energized, dancing through unexpected sonic twists and bold production choices.
Just before the sun began to set, Doechii stepped into the spotlight on the American Express Stage, emerging from a hydraulic stage lift covered in swamp-like moss. With an unapologetic confidence and genre-defying flow, coming after her Best Rap Album Grammy Award win for Alligator Bites Never Heal earlier this year, she delivered tracks like "Denial Is a River," "Nissan Altima," "Boom Bap" and "Anxiety" with razor-sharp lyricism and dynamic stage craft. Her presence was magnetic as she balanced the poetic and the hard-hitting, bridging rap, R&B, and alt-pop worlds with daring control. The crowd responded with fervor, chanting along and letting loose as she pushed boundaries of what a rap performance can feel like in a festival setting.
Closing out the night, Sabrina Carpenter delivered a show worthy of her headliner slot. Her set was an emotional pop spectacle of layered choreography, sweeping visuals and a setlist balancing fan favorites and new favorites. Her anthem “Tears,” long anticipated by many, shimmered over the crowd as confetti and light effects punctuated the moment.
But the surprise came when she invited country legend Shania Twain on stage to duet “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” marking one of the night’s most memorable cross-genre moments. The unexpected pairing of a pop star and a country icon sent the crowd into a delirious roar, encapsulating the spirit of ACL’s genre-fluid ethos, a perfect melody for a festival such as this one.
Carpenter also wove in personal moments, offering heartfelt gratitude to fans and dedicating the song “Juno” to Joe Keery (aka Djo), who made a cameo for the song after having performed leading into her set on nearby Ladybird Stage.
Overall, day 2 of ACL 2025 proved that the festival’s real power lies in its eclecticism. Between Ocean Alley’s psych-rock textures, Latin Mafia’s bilingual pop pulse, Olivia Dean’s emotional gravitas, Magdalena Bay’s sonic experimentation, Doechii’s rap reinvention and Carpenter’s pop magnification, the stage was a welcome crossroads of styles.
See photos from day 2 of ACL below.
