SZA, Moroney, Rapp, Laufey and the leading ladies of Lollapalooza, Zedd keeps the beat

Photos provided by Cassidy Meyers, Dusana Risovic and Ashley Osborn for Lollapalooza

The momentum kept right on rolling for the Friday installment of Lollapalooza, which led to another super-sized audience that was endlessly entertained by major leaguers and newcomers alike, each representing a multitude of genres.

In the closing slot was the incomparable SZA, the R&B innovator who injected hints of pop, hip-hop and neo-soul throughout her latest stop supporting the blockbuster “SOS,” which was the first album of its primary style since Whitney Houston, circa 1987, to top the charts for seven weeks straight out of the gate.

The singer/songwriter and all-around cultural icon also more than lived up to her Grammy Award-winning status, performing atop a double decker stage resembling a cave meets forest and eventually featuring a massive tree branch to elevate the charismatic headliner.

For 90 breathless minutes, SZA was sultry and sensational, dropping one glorious groove after the next, spreading “Love Galore,” counting down to “The Weekend,” featuring a pre-recorded Doja Cat on their collaboration “Kiss Me More” and covering Prince’s “Kiss.”

There was even a slickly choreographed sword-fighting scene alongside her dancers to personify “Kill Bill” as she counted down to the “Good Days” and managed to squeeze in nearly every drop of “20 Something” until a strict curfew crept in.

Meanwhile, producer/DJ extraordinaire Zedd was shuffling up some of the brightest club bangers of the past decade and change, getting everyone jumping to the beats of “I Want You To Know” and “Stay The Night,” while also introducing future smash “Out Of Time” with special guest Bea Miller.

Right beforehand, Galantis gave a like-minded “Rx” for nothing but a party, merging mounds of electronic originals, remixing the likes of Icona Pop’s “I Love It” and paying tribute to fallen friend Avicii via a totally lit version of “Levels.”

Cowboy hats were right around the corner as Megan Moroney continued Lollapalooza’s country tradition that recently included Kacey Musgraves and Lainey Wilson, and though this troubadour/guitarist has a contemporary style all her own, she’s well on her way up the ladder as well.

Fellow singer/songwriter/actress Reneé Rapp leapt off the stage and screen of “Mean Girls” to take a theatrical approach to the punchy pop/rock of her freshman full-length, “Snow Angel,” plus covered Chance The Rapper’s “D.R.A.M. Sings Special” with a surprise appearance from the lauded local himself.

Across Grant Park, Iceland’s Laufey was “Bewitched” and accompanied by the Chicago Philharmonic in what was likely to be debut for the festival, offering enchanting renditions of jazz and traditional pop straight out of the standards era.

Additional international flavors came from Australia’s rising multi-instrumentalist Ruel, who was smooth and soulful as he relatably broke the “4th Wall” and ushered in a second exceptional evening in advance of a wall-to-wall weekend coming right around the corner.

Lollapalooza continues at Grant Park through Sunday, August 4. For additional details, visit Lollapalooza.com.