After the recent studio release of Chappell Roan’s “The Subway,” it’s no surprise that fans are buzzing over the possibility of new music and wondering whether Chappell Roan will release an album in 2025. The addictive single took Roan’s fandom by storm at last year’s Governors Ball, where she debuted the track. Now, after a long-awaited wait, listeners are soaking in the studio recording of “The Subway” studio recording and the visually-stunning music video. Telling the story of lost love and lingering memories, Roan sees her lover’s shadow “even with the lights off,” haunting her every move.
With the new video and studio recording, many fans are speculating over the existence of an upcoming album from Roan. Following the success of her Grammy-winning debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, the singer made waves in the music industry for her commanding vocals, honest lyricism, and infectiously electric instrumentals. In a recent interview with Vogue, Roan spoke more about the possibility of a second project, dispelling rumors by simply stating, “There is no album. There is no collection of songs.”
Roan went on to elaborate on the prolonged and all-encompassing nature of her artistry, noting how time-consuming her first project was. “It took me five years to write the first one, and it’s probably going to take at least five to write the next,” she told Vogue. “I don’t think I make good music whenever I force myself to do anything.”
Her recent music video for “The Subway” is a product of this deliberate creative process, prioritizing quality over quantity. She describes the process of creating visual content to accompany a track as a true “labor of love.” The pop icon is selective and purposeful about which songs she has the bandwidth to expand into a visual medium. This thoughtful approach to her artistry suggests that a new album, while still highly in demand, will likely have to wait, as she favors intention over urgency.
In response to comments pressing Roan for new music, she stands by her early sentiment, saying, “I see some comments sometimes, like, ‘She’s everywhere except that damn studio.’ Even if I was in the studio 12 hours a day, every single day, that does not mean that you would get an album any faster.”
Now taking time away from social media and its many additional stressors, Roan is taking time to simply live her life, taking advantage of all that New York has to offer. For the first time, she’s working on music without the noise of constant online commentary, forming a new, more personal relationship with her craft. “The album process is purely, only mine. No one on TikTok gets to see it,” she told Vogue. This shift may open the door to a fresh wave of creativity whenever she’s ready to share it.
Until a new album is officially announced, fans will have to savor the new single alongside Roan’s earlier work. Fortunately, with the announcement of pop-up shows in New York, Los Angeles, and Kansas City, there are fresh opportunities to catch her performing these beloved tracks live.