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Rise of The Midwest Princess: The Year of Chappell Roan

Chappell Roan on the back of a motorbike
YouTube/Chappell Roan

A few stars have made 2024—Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, and, of course, Chappell Roan. 

At the start of the year, Chappell Roan was unknown. But she had a cult following, which has since exploded. It was in April when her career completely changed. No one could have predicted the summer she was about to have. 

Chappell Roan capitated the summer and has been at the front of the lesbian musical renaissance. It is incredible to see a proud lesbian take control of the pop scene. She has brought something different to pop that has been missing since Lady Gaga’s debut.  

But how different is her life since the release of her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess? And how has she dealt with the sudden spike in fame? 

Chappell Roan performs at Bonnaroo music festival. (Source: Shutterstock/L Paul Mann)

Before Chappell Roan

Chappell Roan was not an overnight success; her road to fame was quite the opposite. Her career has been a decade in the making and has prepared her for this moment. In 2014, Roan uploaded her original song Die Young under her given name, Kayleigh Rose. After multiple musical showcases, she signed to Atlantic Records in 2015. 

Once signed, she adopted the stage name Chappell Roan and released her debut EP, School Nights. With a darker, indie sound, this EP completely differed from the music we know and love today. 

During this era, she supported indie singers like Vance Joy and Declan McKenna and moved to LA for the first time. Her move to LA was the birth of Chappell Roan. This was the first time that Roan experienced life as an openly queer woman, and it changed her artistry. She told Rolling Stone that the move allowed her to write for the real her. 

The Birth of Chappell Roan

This was also when she met producer Dan Nigro and the Chappell Roan world began. 

It was in 2020 when the first true Chappell Roan song was released. In March, she released Pink Pony Club and Love Me Anyway. However, they didn’t sell to the label’s expectations. Resulting in Roan being dropped from the label. 

Chappell Roan is in the Pink Pony Club official music video. (Source: Youtube/Chappell Roan)

She took up odd jobs to fund her music independently and moved back home to Missouri. In 2022, she earned a publishing deal with Sony and released her first single in 2 years, Naked in Manhattan. And so, the Midwest Princess was born. 

Although 2024 has been Roan’s year, 2023 is when it all started. She had her first headline tour, released her debut album, and held her second tour.  The Midwest Princess tour started in September and has since doubled in size. Multiple venues have been upgraded to hold over 5,000 people. 

Her Rise to Fame

A month after the album’s release, she made the top 10 of Billboard’s Emerging Artists. Critically, she has always had success. The mainstream had to catch up. Since the start of her career, critics have had her as one to watch, with Pink Pony Club making multiple lists years before it blew up.

At the start of 2024, she returned to the support slot for her friend, Olivia Rodrigo. In her first week, her streams rose by 32%. And this was the start of the big boom. 

 A billboard for Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS World Tour” on Selma and Wilcox in Hollywood. (Source: Shutterstock/[Image_Vulture])

Her very first festival, Coachella, truly put her on the map. It was the first time people outside the Chappell Roan bubble got to experience her magic. Her big hair and drag-inspired makeup set her out from other performers. 

Roan has all the ingredients to become a household name, but why has it taken this long for her to break through?

In an era of sad girl music, she has brought fun back to pop. Her explicit lyrics, paired with an 80s synth and powerhouse vocals, have set her apart from her peers. Could this be the reason why TikTok decided it was her time?

It is refreshing to see an artist who is unapologetically herself on and off stage. For so long, singers have only wanted fame and fortune, but this isn’t the case for Roan. She is an artist, nothing more, nothing less. She has also exploded due to the safe space she has created. It is a space for queer people of all ages to come together and have fun. There are not many artists that have such a kind and loving fanbase. 

Chappell Roan performed Good Luck Babe on the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. (Source: Youtube/The Tonight Show)

Controversy

This summer, she was one of the internet’s favorite singers. But with the wind changing, she has been demoted. Social media has turned on her as she is not willing to break boundaries and bend to their idea of a celebrity. 

The turn started with her disinterest in the ‘celebrity’ title and her comments on the American election. The hate stems from fan culture and holding your favourite celebrities on a pedestal. Something that has been normalized in the age of social media. 

But they are just normal people who don’t have the answer to everything. We shouldn’t expect anything but entertainment from celebrities. Something that Chappell Roan is trying to make very clear.

Chappell Roan on The Comment Section podcast
Chappell Roan on The Comment Section with Drew Afualo. (Source: Youtube/Spotify)

It is refreshing to see a celebrity break the façade of fame and set clear boundaries. Something that has needed to be done for a while. In this era of social media, people heavily rely on celebrities and influencers, which is creating dangerous parasocial relationships. 

In her crazy year as the Midwest Princess, Chappell Roan has certainly made her mark. Her dedication to creating the Chappell Roan world has set her apart. Her fun lyrics and campy persona are needed in pop right now. She has brought a new life to the pop world, and it is up to the rest to catch up or be left behind.

There is finally a lesbian at the forefront of pop, and pop has never been in better hands with a girl who just wants to have fun. 

Written By

Freelance music journalist who has experience in the newsroom, radio, and social media. Other work can be found in Who Is Blank, WINOL, and The Alfred Times.

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