Ethel Cain is making headlines with her rising prominence in major music festivals, including Lollapalooza 2026, All Things Go 2026, and Coachella, where her stage design evoked a 'graveyard of American industry'. She has also faced online scrutiny over past social media posts, prompting a public response to what she describes as a 'massive smear campaign', while maintaining her confrontational stage presence and collaborations with artists like Inde Navarrette.