It is no secret that Chappell Roan has taken the world by storm. Roan released her debut album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess,” last September. By the album’s first anniversary, she had surpassed 45 million monthly Spotify listeners, broken attendance records at Lollapalooza and secured her self-proclaimed title of “your favorite artist’s favorite artist.” For anyone remotely tuned in to pop culture, Chappell Roan is a household name.
Roan’s explosive ascent to fame has garnered significant media attention, earning her profiles from the Guardian, Rolling Stone, the Face and many more publications. These profiles specifically highlight one of Roan’s most refreshing qualities: her commitment to authenticity. Roan maintains her identity with a steadfast conviction that is otherwise lacking in this current pop culture moment. She approaches hard-hitting questions with an honesty that refuses to cut corners or repackage itself as palatable for the general public.
Recently, Roan publicly spoke out about the safety issues she is experiencing with her rise in fame. In a TikTok post, she denounces invasive fan behavior that has grown commonplace in the social media age, stating “I don’t care that this crazy type of behavior comes along with the job, the career field I’ve chosen. That does not make it OK, that doesn’t make it normal.”
Roan’s many hot takes have led to substantial online discourse about the artist. Popular entertainment news accounts like Pop Base and Pop Crave have frequently posted quotes on X sourced from Roan’s interviews. One post by Pop Crave with 6.4 million views shares Roan’s thoughts on the Grammy’s, announcing “I’m kind of hoping I don’t win.” Even a cursory glance at the replies to this post demonstrates the overwhelmingly negative response to Roan’s sentiment, with many claiming she is ungrateful for her success. Another claim in response to the various X posts that cite her interviews is that Roan is a complainer. Some go as far as to state that the artist needs media training.
A glaring concern to any social media post is a loss of context. By referencing a single quote without the context of an entire interview, these cherry-picked posts inherently lack important nuance. A recent post quoting Roan’s stance on the upcoming presidential election and her apparent lack of endorsement for any candidate sparked significant backlash toward the artist.
The post quotes Roan, stating “I have so many issues with our government in every way… There are so many things I would want to change. So I don’t feel pressured to endorse someone. There’s problems on both sides.” This declaration angered both critics and fans of Roan, who felt her statement contradicted her outward support of the transgender community. Roan took to TikTok to further clarify her political stance and encouraged viewers to utilize critical thinking skills when reading clickbait X news posts. In the video, she reads aloud the rest of her quote, which states:
“There are problems on both sides and I encourage people to use your critical thinking skills. Use your vote. Vote small. Vote for what’s going on in your city.” The change she wants to see in the U.S. this election year, she says instantly, is trans rights. “They cannot have CIS people making decisions for trans people, period.”
She concludes the video by stating, “No I’m not voting for Trump, and yes, I will always question those in power and those making decisions over other people.”
In the wake of the Chappell Roan discourse, I am left wondering how we reached such a heightened level of feelings towards an artist who has only entered the public eye relatively recently. When I scroll through X or TikTok, people only offer diehard support for Roan or constant criticism.
It is clear that an outspoken celebrity makes people profoundly uncomfortable, regardless of their opinions on that celebrity’s work. Roan’s opinionated nature has shaken the system of stardom. Additionally, the fanfare surrounding Roan’s beliefs has highlighted the deep-rooted misogyny projected onto female artists. The consistent call for a PR team or media training effectively functions as a cry to silence an opinionated woman. Whether this is an intentional act of sexism or not, it reflects the idea that female celebrities should maintain a squeaky-clean image while male celebrities are granted more wiggle room for occasional provocative behavior.
This situation also calls into question the normalcy of celebrity idolization as a whole. Is it necessary to agree with every opinion of our favorite artists? The constant access social media grants us to celebrities has forced the public to navigate what feels like a surplus of information. It can be exhausting to think that every action demands a reaction.
However, Roan is calling to light a potential turning point. It can be enough to love an artist for art’s sake. If I enjoy an album, that does not equate to me subscribing my identity to the artist’s personal character. Roan has consistently made her love of her craft very clear. Between her campy drag and boundary-pushing pop, it is evident that she isn’t here for fandom or acclaim. Roan is here to create art. Some have dubbed this the Midwestern Princess’ fall from public favor, but I believe this is only the beginning of her groundbreaking rise and her challenge to celebrity culture.