Singer and songwriter Chappell Roan first started to gain attention when she opened for part of Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS World Tour” while embarking on her own solo tour, “The Midwest Princess.” During the duration of both tours, Roan appeared on shows such as “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” became a featured artist on NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concerts” and, most recently, performed at the highly lauded music and culture festival, Coachella. Post-Coachella, videos of Roan’s set went viral for the large crowds she drew despite not being a headliner at festivals such as Hangout Fest in Alabama and Boston Calling.
So, what’s the reason behind Roan’s rising popularity? As one of many pulled in by the magic of the nation’s newest pop star, I am going to break down Roan’s career and share what I think makes her so unique.
Roan began releasing music in 2014 under her birth name, Kayleigh Rose. After her initial release and signing to Atlantic Records in 2015, she adopted the stage name “Chappell Roan,” pronounced Cha-pull∙Rown, in honor of her late grandfather’s surname and favorite song, “The Strawberry Roan.” Since the name change, Roan has expressed discomfort when fans address her by her birth name and request they respect her stage name and persona.
The persona of Chappell Roan is one thing that makes her so eye-catching. Roan describes her persona as “tacky popstar” drag. Her makeup, fashion and personality are unapologetically unique and free. Roan’s performance signature looks include a white face paint base, red lipstick with some intentional lipstick-stained teeth and thickly overdrawn eyeliner. Apart from her makeup, Roan turns heads with her on-stage fashion, which simultaneously borders on a mix of grunge, girly and sensual. My personal favorite outfits are her vintage wedding dress inspired look for her performance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and her sparkly purple fringed bodysuit over sheer purple leggings paired with silver cowboy boots on Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS World Tour.” To connect her fashion choices with fans, Roan posts themes and mood boards on Instagram for each city of her “Midwest Princess Tour.” With themes like Pink Cowboy based on her song “Pink Pony Club” and “Rainbow” after her song “Kaleidoscope,” Roan uses fashion to interact with fans and make her shows more engaging. Based on her Instagram captions, she encourages dressing up to the theme so that way “the show is not only on stage, but also in the audience with [you].”
Roan not only makes a statement with her drag persona, but also with her music. Her debut album titled “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” was released on Sept. 22, 2023, peaking at number 28 on the US Billboard Hot 200 chart. The album was met with generally positive reviews from critics, and it appeared in a handful of best albums of 2023 year-end lists. Roan’s debut album place notably at 4th on TIME’s top 10, 12th on Rolling Stone’s top 100 and 13th on Billboard’s top 50. Music fans and listeners also appreciated the album, with music content creators such as HTHAZE ranking Roan’s album at the number two spot on his top 12 list of 2023. With a distinct ’80s sound that has often been compared to Cyndi Lauper and Kate Bush, each track on “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” has a different mood yet still paints a cohesive picture of Roan’s musical style and specialty. Roan’s lyrics are a perfect celebration of queer love, female sexuality and personal freedom — refreshing themes that bring something new and needed to the table. My favorite tracks from the album are both of her ultra-popular upbeat singles, “Red Wine SuperNova” and “HOT TO GO!,” as well as the mellower track “After Midnight.” From laughing along to her campy lyrics in “Femininomenon” to reminiscing about a situationship to the hit song “Casual,” I’ve found that Roan’s music captures the ups and downs of navigating romance and identity.
Above all, I believe Roan soars to new heights as an artist because of her authenticity. Roan is not afraid to talk about breaking free from her suffocating Midwest town and the struggles of accepting her queer identity. The fact that “Pink Pony Club,” a song where Roan gets candid about her journey from growing up in a traditionally religious household in Tennessee to a life of liberation on club stages in Los Angeles, was the first to start turning heads, goes to show how much people feel a connection to her experiences.
As of late, Roan has just released a new single, “Good Luck Babe!” (not included on her debut album, but part of a new project), and she continues to perform at festivals and venues around the world. Most recently, the album cracked the Billboard Top 10 album sales chart for the first time. Listen to her debut album,”The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” here.
—
Featured Image by Ryan Clemens via iamchappellroan.com
