If you pay attention to pop music, you know that 2024 was the year of the pop girlie. Talented singers like Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, Olivia Rodrigo, and Billie Eilish all released music that was both popular and critically acclaimed. Then there was Chappell Roan, a talented singer songwriter who seemingly came out of nowhere and set the industry ablaze.
A Ten Year Overnight Success
Chappell Roan has been called an overnight success, and even an industry plant. The reality is that she’s been actively making music for about a decade now. This includes:
- Writing original music as a teenager and uploading it to YouTube
- Appearing on local television shows
- Attending the famous fine arts camp Interlochen
- Opening for a variety of pop artists including Fletcher and Vance Joy
- Receiving online praise early in her career from Troye Sivan
Let’s Get Into The Music
Chappell Roan is a pop singer whose music has a range of influences. Many of her songs bring back memories of 80s synth pop. She also cites Lady Gaga, Lorde, Lana Del Ray, Ellie Goulding, and other 21st century pop acts as influences. Chappell Roan has even covered artists from the 90s (Alanis Morrissette) and 70s (Heart).
Many folks Know Chappell Roan for The Rise And Fall of a Midwest Princess or more recent releases like Good Luck Babe. The truth is that her music goes back further than this.
The EP That Started it All
Chappell Roan signed with Atlantic Records when she was just a junior in high school. After some time writing and recording, she released a five song EP, School Nights. The EP received critical praise, and led to her touring with some notable artists at the time.
The Song That Nearly Ended it All
After School Nights, Chappell Roan began creating with producer Dan Nigro. Together, the two began crafting a sound that better reflected her evolution as a person and an artist. She has described this as a hard left turn from that first EP.
Together, Chappell Roan and Nigro recorded and released two songs, Love me Anyway and Pink Pony Club. Unfortunately, several factors led to Atlantic Records ending their relationship with Chappell Roan. This includes:
- The impact of Covid on artists’ ability to generate income for record labels
- Lack of belief the song Pink Pony Club
- Disagreement with Chappell Roan’s new artistic direction
After being unceremoniously dumped, Chappell Roan continued working on music independently. She was also forced to work a variety of jobs including production assistant, nanny, and barista. She even moved back to her home town in Missouri for a period of time to save money. Meanwhile, Dan Nigro began focusing on another new artist, Olivia Rodrigo.
Many would question Atlantic’s categorization of Pink Pony Club as a failure. The song earned millions of views on YouTube. It was also praised as a club hit.
Debut Album – The Rise And Fall of a Midwest Princess
Eventually, Chappell Roan moved back to LA and began working with Nigro again. She inked a publishing deal with Sony and joined up with Nigro again. She released Naked in Manhattan in 2022 after a two-year hiatus. Chappell Roan also contributed backing vocals to a few Olivia Rodrigo songs.
Chappell Roan signed another major record deal. This time with Nigro. That signing solidified what would turn out to be an exceptional partnership.
This was when things began to click. Naked in Manhattan was well-received. Chappell Roan continued writing and releasing songs on YouTube and other platforms. She also began cultivating an online presence and opening for other artists.
While many artists will use just one or two songs to tease an album release, Chappell Roan took a different approach. She shared songs she and Nigro finished one at a time, and followed that up with a full album release. Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess was released as a 14 track album. Notably, Pink Pony Club and the previously recorded California were included. It took awhile to click with fans, but earned a cult following. By the end of 2024, sales had exploded and Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess was among the top selling albums of the year. More than one review praised aspects of the album including her vocals, the songwriting, and production.
Rise And Fall of a Midwest Princess Track List
- Feminomenon
- Red Wine Supernova
- After Midnight
- Coffee
- Casual
- Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl
- Hot to Go
- My Kink is Karma
- Picture You
- Kaleidoscope
- Pink Pony Club
- Naked in Manhattan
- California
- Guilty Pleasure
Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess earned significant critical praise in addition to being popular. It also signified great personal and artistic growth. This record showcased Chappell Roan’s growing talent as a singer songwriter. Additionally, her vocal style evolved. She had previously received some criticism for “cursive singing”. Her new sound was much more authentic, and allowed her to showcase her abilities much more. Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess was also extraordinarily and unapologetically queer.
Even Chappell Roan’s look evolved. She replaced her long brown locks with red hair, and developed a drag queen persona. Her stage persona became bolder and more provocative.
The Music Videos
Chappell Roan released several music videos and visualizers in support of Rise And Fall of a Midwest Princess. Her videos can be found on YouTube, and also reflect her evolution as an artist.
Casual
In this visually stunning video that was influenced by the film “The Shape of Water”, Chappell Roan plays a woman who is strung along and has her heart broken by a woman who alternately seduces and rejects her. There’s an underwater make out scene that’s so stunning it’s hard to look away. Anybody who has had their heartbroken will be able to relate to the scene where Chappell Roan belts out the final lyric, “You can go to hell!”
Red Wine Supernova (Magician’s Cut)
In this clever yet seductive video, Chappell Roan partners with real-life magician, Magical Katrina. Despite the disapproval of an uptight neighbor, the two enjoy a hot and heavy relationship as the magician shows Chappell Roan the secrets of magic.
The song also serves as a clear example of Chappell Roan’s ability to compose a bridge and use fun lyrical elements such as call outs to make her music more engaging. The lyrics, “You say you like magic? I’ve got a wand and a rabbit!” are such a cheeky double entendre.
My Kink is Karma
Chappell Roan used her own hard-earned money to fund the production of the My Kink is Karma video. She brought in her friends to help make it happen, and the result is an eyebrow raising take on a relatable feeling. It may be toxic, but many of us can related to seeing an ex suffer after a bad breakup. My Kink is Karma spins that take with Chappell Roan taking intense, spicy pleasure as her ex-lover’s life falls apart.
Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl
This visualizer features Chappell Roan as a seductive alien on a tour of Los Angeles. It cleverly overlays her appearances all over the city with takes from stunned observers.
Pink Pony Club
This video was actually filmed and released when Pink Pony Club was first released. Chappell Roan plays a singer who is largely ignored by a bar crowd that’s more interested in drinking than listening to her music. Things change when she demands their attention, and the dive bar is transformed into a gay nightclub complete with appearances by famed drag queens Pork Chop and Meatball. It’s easy to see why so many queer folks have been emotionally moved by this song and video celebrating queer joy.
California
This is another song and lyric video that Chappell Roan made before signing her new record deal. It shows the pain and uncertainty she experienced during her initial years in California trying to find success as an artist while missing her home state of Missouri.
Naked in Manhattan
This low-budget video has Chappell Roan dancing and frolicking through New York as she sings about yearning for a spicy connection with a friend.
Kaleidoscope Official Live Performance
This stripped down video shows that Chappell Roan is a vocal powerhouse. In this live performance, she performs the raw, heartbreaking yet hopeful song she wrote about falling in love with a friend. The lyrics use the colorful beauty of a kaleidoscope as a metaphor for evolving love. While Chappell Roan is credited as writer on all of the songs on Rise And Fall of a Midwest Princess, Kaleidoscope is the one song she wrote entirely on her own.
Good Luck Babe (Lyric Video)
Good Luck Babe doesn’t appear on Rise And Fall of a Midwest Princess, but deserves mentioning. Despite not appearing on an album, Good Luck Babe is largely seen as the song that truly launched Chappell Roan into mainstream popularity. The lyric video for Good Luck Babe has been referred to as a Powerpoint Manifesto. The song which takes on the topic of compulsive heterosexuality was also performed by Chappell Roan at the VMA awards.
Hot to Go
It’s a song, and a dance! Hot to Go may be the most viral release from Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. It’s been featured in thousands of TikToks. In the video, Chappell Roan returns to her hometown to teach the Hot to Go dance to her grandparents, local fans, and drag queens.
The videos from Rise And Fall of a Midwest Princess and School Nights along with other great content can be found on Chappell Roan’s official YouTube, Vevo, and other online hotspots. Her dedicated website also includes links to her videos.
Who is The Midwest Princess – Chappell Roan Bio
Who is Chappell Roan anyway? She was born in February 1998 as Kayleigh Rose Amstutz. She performed under the name Kayleigh Rose initially. In fact, fans can find some of her earlier releases and cover songs on YouTube under that name. She spent her early life living in the small, conservative town of Willard, Missouri just outside of Springfield. Chappell Roan describes her upbringing as conservative Christian. She attended church multiple times weekly.
Chappell Roan has three younger siblings. Her parents are Dwight and Kara. She’s a veterinarian. He is a retired Navy veteran who helps run her practice. Chappell Roan has said her family is very supportive of her career, although some members of her family are quite conservative.
Life for Chappell Roan wasn’t always easy. She’s described herself as struggling with anger and depression with a great desire to escape her small town. She also credits therapy and getting help for bipolar II as saving her life and her relationship with her family.
So, how did Chappell Roan go from small town Christian girl who ran cross country to international popstar with millions of followers on Facebook and even more views on YouTube? It started with a middle school talent show. She won for her rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. That’s when she began developing her musical talents, writing songs, attending a series of fine arts camps, and performing live in front of small audiences.
Performances That Started The Phenomenon
Chappell Roan’s rise to fame has been a slow burn that led to an explosion. In the space of a single year the price of a ticket to one of her shows exploded. This video shows the evolution of her popularity during that time. Here are some other shows that she performed:
- Outside Lands
- Bonnaroo
- Austin City Limits
- Lollapalooza
- Governor’s Ball
- Coachella
Videos from these performances, and even full concerts can be found on YouTube. Chappell Roan has even checked an appearance on SNL off of her bucket list.
Chappell Roan – Iconique Looks
Chappell Roan’s looks have evolved over the years. Her fans have become nearly as excited about the looks she brings to her shows and posts online as her music.
Queer Awakening
Like many lesbians, Chappell Roan has dated men in the past. She’s even said she has almost been married twice. However, in recent years she has identified as queer. Now she identifies as a lesbian.
A Drag Queen in The House of Colby
In a podcast interview, Roan discusses doing hair and makeup with drag queen, Crayola before one of her shows. She mentions that Crayola The Queen said to her “Honey, you ARE a drag queen”. This was a transformative moment for Chappell. She even introduced herself before a show as “I’m your favorite artist’s favorite artist”. This was a reference to drag legend Sasha Colby. Later, Colby and Chappell met and performed together, and Colby adopted her as her drag daughter.
Controversies
Chappell Roan has not been immune from controversy. She’s known for being outspoken and protective of her privacy. She was forced to publicly address the issue of boundaries after a series of events made her fear for her safety. This included having her father’s personal telephone number released, fans showing up uninvited to her grandparent’s home, being grabbed and kissed against her will by a stranger, and having strangers scream at her at an airport when she would not stop to sign merchandise they had. She shared a video and a post on social media addressing this.
Some online trolls responded by calling her spoiled and ungrateful. They claimed that she should welcome this kind of attention as part of being famous. However, multiple folks in the industry defended her words and shared their own traumatic experiences with fame. This includes:
- Elton John
- Billie Eilish
- Haylie Williams
- Lady Gaga
Her core fanbase also appears to have supported her.
Chappell Roan has also become known for her lack of patience with photogs who are rude or disrespectful. At the VMA awards, she had a verbal tussle with a photographer who could be heard yelling, “Shut the (expletive) up!” to which she respond “You shut the (expletive) up! Not me bitch.”
Later she said, “I think for someone who gets a lot of anxiety around people yelling at you, the carpet is horrifying. And I yelled back. I yelled baaaack — you don’t get to yell at me like that.”
She had a similar controversy when she walked the red carpet at the Olivia Rodrigo Guts world tour movie premier.
Of course, the biggest controversy on her rise to fame was her mention in an interview that she could not endorse a presidential candidate in good conscience. She encouraged voters to use their critical thinking skills and learn about local issues. This enraged blue maga while surprising nobody who was aware of her political views.
She later released two TikTok videos clarifying her position, affirming she would be voting for Kamala Harris, but would not put her name and project behind the candidate with an endorsement. She cited US policies that are harmful to Palestinians and lack of meaningful support for the trans community as her reasons.
Where to Watch And Listen to Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan is currently working on the Follow up to Rise And Fall of a Midwest Princess. So far, she has not announced a tour, but will be making some festival appearances. She’ll likely be performing at the Grammys and is going to be the key performer at Elton John’s annual Academy Award Party.
Of course, her music can be found on YouTube, Spotify, and other platforms. She’s also fairly active on social media. Her mega fans look forward to watching her go live with BFF and creative director Misha.
It’s likely that she’ll be releasing new music. Roan has already assured fans that her country song “The Giver” would be coming out. Speculation is raging about what will be included on her new album. Fans theorize that it will contain, The Subway, The Giver, Read And Make Out, and Good Luck Babe. Some even hope her beloved cover of Heart’s Barracuda will make an appearance.
Why The Queer Community Loves Chappell
What makes Chappell Roan and Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess resonate so strongly with the queer community? There are several reasons.
- She is an accomplice – Chappell Roan stands with the community even when it leads to criticism and loss of listeners. She’s also donated money from her Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess tour to The Trevor Project, For The Gworls, and the Glo Center – an LGBTQIA+ community center in Springfield, MO.
- She shares the love – Chappell hires local drag queens to open her shows. She also reminds fans to “Tip Your Queens”
- She is a queer lyricist – Many songs on Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess speak openly about sapphic love.
- She celebrates queer joy – She encourages fans to build community, come to her shows dressed in themed outfits, and has said she wants her concerts to be a safe, loving place queer folks.
- She has aesthetic for miles – That hair! That makeup! Those clothes! Of course she’s a queer person’s fantasy bestie!
- She brings the humor – Us queer folks know that we have collectively adopted a wicked sense of humor as a defense mechanism. Well, she proves over and over again that comedy could be a second career for her.
- She is a genuine midwest princess – This isn’t just an album title. She represents the lived experiences of so many queer folks in the Midwest and South. People love that they can click a YouTube video and see a queer woman who understands them.
A Midwest Princess For The Queer Community
It isn’t just that the Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is one of the best albums of the century. Chappell Roan resonates with the queer community because she is one of us. Her authenticity, community support, and talent continue to shine through.
Share this post:
