Chappell Roan Applauds Fan for Using Nintendo DS Camera at London Concert

At her sold-out London stop on the Midwest Princess Tour, pop sensation Chappell Roan unexpectedly celebrated a piece of Nintendo history.

Known for chart-topping singles like 'Pink Pony Club,' 'HOT TO GO!,' and the breakout hit 'Femininomenon,' Roan recently added a gaming twist to her high-energy concert at Brixton O2 Academy—thanks to a fan wielding a Nintendo DS camera in the crowd. Nintendo’s DS handheld, first launched in 2004, is best remembered for its innovative dual-screen design and educational, creative, and entertainment-focused software library.

One lesser-known feature among its millions of global owners was the DS's low-resolution camera, introduced with the Nintendo DSi in 2008.

While smartphones since surpassed it in photographic quality, the DS camera still holds nostalgic value for longtime Nintendo fans. During her performance, Roan spotted a concertgoer capturing moments with the iconic device.

Pausing between songs to address the fan, she enthusiastically remarked, "Is that a DS? You keep taking photos on your DS, keep doing it!" Roan’s lighthearted encouragement, delivered with her signature charm, resonated with both gaming and music communities.

The clip of this exchange quickly circulated on social platforms, further highlighting the DS’s cult status as a quirky camera alternative. Clips from both Roan’s playful onstage reaction and the DS owner's point of view soon went viral.

Though the DS camera’s image and audio quality pales next to today’s smartphones, the novelty and retro appeal generated a buzz online, drawing praise from both Chappell Roan’s global fanbase and Nintendo enthusiasts.

Notably, this isn’t the first time fans have revived the DS for live events.

There has been a minor resurgence in using Nintendo handhelds to capture unique moments at concerts, reflecting the DS’s enduring cultural impact more than a decade after its commercial peak. Since its launch, the Nintendo DS family has sold over 154 million units worldwide, making it one of the most successful gaming platforms in history.

While the hardware was officially discontinued in 2014, stories like this serve as a testament to Nintendo’s lasting influence across unexpected settings—including pop music concerts. Roan’s delighted response at Brixton O2 Academy bridges the worlds of modern pop culture and classic gaming.

It’s a reminder of how iconic hardware like the Nintendo DS continues to forge memorable connections—even when the main stage belongs to a new generation of artists.

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