Chappell Roan: The Midwest Princess

Source: Them

Written By: Kia Jones

Edited By: Yozer Wang

A singer-songwriter’s dream is to have their hard work pay off: going on tour, having millions of people streaming and enjoying their music, positively impacting others with their songs and style—and Chappell Roan has experienced it all firsthand. The 26 year-old isn’t just any popstar: Roan started as an internet sensation in the span of about three months in early 2024, when her song “Good Luck, Babe!” and tunes from her 2023 album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, went viral, which has turned her into a queer icon. Her fame as a sapphic popstar is constantly rising, along with the amount of people who feel personally benefited by her music. Most importantly, the popularity and representation of Roan’s music helps promote acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community.

Roan grew up in the small, conservative town of Willard, Missouri, and was raised very religious, attending church three times a week. She was taught that being gay was wrong and sinful—so how did she become the queer pop star she is now? Roan began writing music in her teens, and was even signed to a record label before she graduated high school. Once she was signed, she moved in 2018 to the city she’d been taught was “demonic”—Los Angeles, California. Relieved to escape the conservative town she was raised in, Roan began to expand her experiences, going to gay clubs and finally freely connecting with her true self, which is captured in her song “Pink Pony Club.” It was also one of the reasons she began to take an interest in drag and use the style in her own looks. Roan says she considers herself a drag queen, and she often features other drag artists as her openers for concerts.

Source: Spotlight

Speaking of her concerts, Chappell Roan has said that she aims to make them a “safe space” for her fans. In a Nylon article, Roan stated, “That's the whole point of the tour: to give people a safe space to come and dress up. No one's going to say anything mean to you. And you can dance and be queer.” By creating her concerts to feel this way and presenting herself the way she does, Roan inspires so many people to do the same and helps them learn to unapologetically be themselves. Both herself and her music are great representations of queer people and many of her songs, like “Femininomenon” and “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl,” empower women, and specifically sapphic women. She also isn’t afraid to speak politically and has publicly discussed gay rights many times.

Despite being popular for only a short time, Chappell Roan has made a large impact on a variety of people in numerous ways. She provides representation, advocates for equality, and creates environments where people can be themselves, which all contribute to the supportive community being built for LGBTQ+ individuals.

Source: Slate