On November 2, Chappell Roan took to the SNL stage, playing her new unreleased song, “The Giver.” Chappell has built an immense following over the past year since her album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” was released. So it is no surprise that this song was an immediate hit even before it hit platforms. It is also no surprise that Chappell decided to mix things up and reinvent once again. This time, she has reinvented country music.
Country is a genre that has been made fun of endlessly. It is straight, male-heavy, and often talks about beer and women. In addition, younger audiences who do not like country music tend to see it as more conservative for this reason. Thus, many potential listeners may not feel like this genre is for them and avoid it entirely. However, the sound of country is not only for straight men and Chappell Roan proved that point last weekend.
Chappell Roans’ song “The Giver” is explicitly country in sound and appearance, going for a twangy vibe with a checkered get-up for the performance. The song is also explicitly and shamelessly LGBTQ+. The entire song is about Chappell being with a woman and giving her what a man never could. This song just Chappell being herself is a new turning point for the typical straight, male-dominated country songs seen blasting: paying homage to Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire. Though this may seem like not a big deal it will and is already having a huge impact.
There are many kids who are living in the Midwest and South who are coming to terms with being LGBTQ+. They may not feel like they have a place in their own home. However, by Chappell Roan creating this song and showing that LGBTQ+ country folks do exist she creates a space for them to feel seen. Through Chappell just being herself, she is making country a genre for everybody and where LGBTQ+ youth can feel represented and that is priceless. If this is any clue into what is in store moving forward with Chappell she will become an icon for music.