If you’re into pop music, glitter, sapphic representation in the media, insanely impressive vocalists or any combination of the above, have I got an artist for you.
Meet 25-year-old Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, known professionally as Chappell Roan, an up-and-coming singer-songwriter who is guaranteed to blow your mind and break your heart.
Born February 19th in Willard, Missouri, Roan always had a love for music and started playing piano at age 10. She then began uploading covers of various songs to Youtube during her early teen years before eventually finding her voice as a songwriter. Roan uploaded her first original song titled “Die Young” when she was 17 years old and shortly after began performing in a series of musical showcases in New York.
Not long after that, Roan signed a contract with Atlantic Records and released her first EP titled “School Nights” in 2017 when she was 19. The EP was met with high praise with many critics noting Roan’s powerful vocals and deep, mature lyricism and it was the success of this first release that launched her first concert tour called the Lay it On Me tour also in 2017. However, Roan has stated before that she felt like she hadn’t truly discovered her sound until she officially moved from her hometown in Missouri to Los Angeles in 2018 because the move gave her the freedom to embrace and explore her sexuality as a queer woman for the first time.
Roan’s first single since moving to Los Angeles, titled “Pink Pony Club,” dropped in April 2020 and earned success and praise among fans and reviewers for its catchy beat overlaid with the captivating story of a girl who moves to Hollywood from her small hometown in order to become a go-go dancer at a gay bar. This single, loosely based on Roan’s own fantasies, did perform well, but unfortunately, not well enough and Roan was dropped from Atlantic Records later in the year. This loss hit Roan hard and she spent the next two years working various part time jobs in order to support herself. Her music was further halted when her producer, Dan Nigro, began dedicating more of his time to another young starlet as she began to assemble her debut album in 2021 (a little collection of songs called “Sour”, ring any bells?) and Roan failed to find another producer she clicked with.
Roan finally released her next single, “Naked in Manhattan,” in March 2022, making it her first release in two years and her first release as an independent artist. The song was once again received favorably by its audience for its queer, flirty, nostalgic lyrics and high-energy sound. This enabled Roan to reestablish her career and partnership with Nigro and she would go on to perform as an opening act for both Olivia Rodrigo and Fletcher’s respective tours.
Roan continued releasing singles for the remainder of 2022 adding “Femininomenon,” an electric female empowerment anthem, and “Casual,” a slower ballad about a partner who refuses to commit, to her ever-expanding discography.
After all her hard work and setbacks, 2023 finally became Roan’s year as she signed a fresh record deal with Island Records and launched her “Naked in North America Tour.” As a way to further generate buzz about her tour, Roan assigned each show a specific theme based on the aesthetic of one of her singles. Along with the themes came many posts from Roan’s social media accounts personally offering outfit inspiration and makeup tips on how to nail your show’s theme.
Finally, as the cherry on top of Roan’s busy 2023, her debut full-length album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”, dropped just the other day on September 22nd and the three years of time and effort Roan poured into this album are evident from the very first listen.
From pop princess melodies about dancing all night with the perfect girl like “HOT TO GO!” or “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” to more soulful ballads about heartbreak and pining like “Picture You” or “Coffee,” Roan’s impressive vocal and lyrical range is truly astonishing.
Chappell Roan is bringing back the pop renaissance of the early 2000s and I can’t imagine there’s anyone else who could do what she can. Like her impressive dedication to physical training in order to jump and jog around on stage for the near entirety of her concerts while singing her heart out the whole time. Being a singer at a concert must be a truly exhausting experience, but the lengths that Roan goes to in order to keep her crowds engaged and feeling appreciated means so much as a fan.
This is an artist who knows exactly what it feels like to be a girl coming of age in this generation who just wants to experience the exciting culture of big cities, pursue her wildest dreams and feel free to explore her sexuality and embark on romantic relationships with whoever she pleases. The agonizing high notes she utilizes in the bridges of many of her songs are perfect for screaming in the car late at night if you’re angry, excited, frustrated or even in love. This girl has a song for every mood that’ll fry your vocal cords in the best way.
So what are you waiting for? The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess isn’t gonna stream itself, plus, if you hurry, there might be some tickets left for Roan’s newest tour, “The Midwest Princess Tour,” which begins this month. She just recently added a handful of new shows and cities, including Pittsburgh for anyone near there, and there’s no harm in checking to see if you could snag a spot. Then comes the most exciting part of all, after the concert itself of course, shopping for the perfect outfit to fit your show’s theme!
If anyone needs me I’ll be counting down the days until my show, only about 180 left!