Chappell Roan is a singer and songwriter, but since her skyrocketing to fame in the summer of 2024, she’s been an inspiration for queer individuals and artists all over the world.
With the platform she’s gained, Roan’s used her limelight to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and her fellow music artists. Her success is monumental — as an openly lesbian music artist, Roan’s music is putting the queer community front and center on some of the biggest stages in the world.
The VMAs
After her win as Best New Artist at the 2024 VMAs, Roan dedicated her speech to LGBTQ+ individuals, acknowledging the community and her fans by saying: “I dedicate this to all the drag artists who inspire me, and I dedicate this to queer and trans people who fuel pop. To the gays who dedicate my songs to someone they love or hate, and thank you to the people who are fans, who listen to me, who hear me when I share my joy and fears. Thank you for listening.”
Roan dedicating her speech to the LGBTQ+ community is what makes her such an inspiration; on a stage with such wide reach, like the VMAs, Roan has made queer individuals feel recognized, seen, and heard.
Roan also gave a shout-out to her fellow LGBTQ+ community members from Missouri, saying, “And for all the queer kids in the Midwest watching right now, I see you. I understand you because I’m one of you. And don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t be exactly who you want to be, b*tch.”
This shout-out is even more meaningful to the queer individuals who live in places where they feel stigmatized or unwelcomed, making Roan’s words even more powerful.
Roan’s GRAMMY Speech
Roan has set a new standard for the music industry — not only is she bringing the LGBTQ+ and queer artists back into the spotlight, she’s also been advocating for herself and others.
On stage after winning Best New Artist at the GRAMMYs, Roan opened her speech by saying: “I told myself if I ever won a Grammy and I got to stand up here in front of the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels in the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a livable wage and health care, especially to developing artists.”
Labels in the music industry have been notoriously bad towards their artists, especially when looking at developing artists and female artists like Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and many more, especially for those who don’t have the fame or platform to tell their stories.
Roan is defining boundaries for herself, setting a standard that should be industry-wide; for example, when she received backlash online for responding to a photographer who was disrespectful to her at the VMAs and then once again at the GUTS world premiere party.
Roan has a no-nonsense approach to sticking up for herself and has been outspoken about her boundaries, refusing to succumb to industry expectations of being a pop star.
Roan’s GRAMMY Performance
Roan’s music embodies queer joy and excellence — her GRAMMYs performance of her hit song, “Pink Pony Club,” is no different. Roan’s performance paid tribute to her Missouri roots, appearing on stage riding a giant pink horse.
One of the most iconic parts of Roan’s performance was the costumes and makeup of her backup dancers, who were dressed as clowns, and the hidden meaning behind this decision is incredibly powerful.
In an interview for Hulu’s Face of Music, Roan gave fans insight into the reason behind her makeup: “There were a few people — mostly boys in my high school — that would call gay people clowns. They would be like, ‘Oh, they’re so loud, and they dress up obnoxiously, and they just have to be the center of attention; they’re like clowns.”
The audience’s reaction to Roan’s performance, as well, was incredibly moving: Roan had some of the biggest names in the music industry singing her song back to her; “Pink Pony Club” isn’t only a song about Roan moving to Hollywood and chasing her dreams, but also about Roan’s experience of chasing queer joy and making it a reality through her music.
Roan’s Advocacy at the GRAMMYs
On the red carpet at the GRAMMYs, when Roan was asked if there was anything she’d like to say to the LGBTQ+ community, the singer told GLAAD’s (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) hosts that “Trans people have always existed, and they will forever exist and they will never, no matter what happens, take trans joy away.”
She also added on, paying tribute to her transgender fans, saying, “I would not be here without trans girls,” she continued. “So just know that pop music is thinking about you and cares about you, and I’m trying my best to stand up for you in every way I can.”
Roan’s outspoken acknowledgment of the LGBTQ+ community, especially her transgender fans, is incredibly important in advocating for queer individuals in the United States’ current political climate. Her statement on solidarity with the transgender community is crucial in the face of adversity.
Transgender people are currently under fire by the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has issued several executive orders targeting the community since the beginning of his presidency, including an act regarding gender-affirming care, one act stating federal agencies would only acknowledge male and female sexes, and another act regarding denying requests for passport gender marker changes.
Roan’s win is more than just an award — in the face of adversity that the LGBTQ+ community is facing, her win serves as an inspiration for queer individuals to keep fighting.
Roan’s music and image is a fun, inspiring, and queer refresh to mainstream pop music. Her upbeat, sapphic lyrics and her drag-inspired makeup and looks pay homage to the LGBTQ+ community and bring queer individuals into the spotlight. Roan isn’t the first, nor the last, openly queer artist, but her success, advocacy, and how she’s pushing boundaries is a huge leap forward for the LGBTQ+ community.
How Roan uses her platforms and award speeches to advocate for herself, and others serve as a reminder of how music can inspire and bring people together when faced with adversity.
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