My music taste, like most others, is all over the board. My 138 Spotify playlists (please note the subtle brag) feature everything from Willie Nelson to Talking Heads and whatever lies between. However, there is a special place in my heart for hyper feminine pop music. If a song sounds like it would be on the Bottoms soundtrack, it’s an absolute hit for me. This past year has been big for my love of girl pop with the release of Barbie and Bottoms, Olivia Rodrigo’s new album, and most importantly, the release of Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.
Though she’s been releasing music since 2017, her first (and presently only) album is what put her on the radar for a larger audience, including myself. For most albums, I’ll listen through once and then sporadically listen to individual songs, but Midwest Princess is an entirely different story. I can’t listen to one song without needing to hear the rest, even with such stark differences between some of the tracks. Roan’s writing style is so cohesive that songs like “Casual” and “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” can play back to back and feel completely perfect next to each other. I find a lot of albums that try to achieve this to have a whiplash effect— I just finished up getting my heart torn out of my chest, and now we’re talking about clubbing?— but Midwest Princess transitions between complete opposite emotions with ease. Just recently I was in the car with a cousin when “Red Wine Supernova” came on her shuffle. I got so excited just to be hearing Roan’s music that I queued the rest of the album. I really just cannot get enough of her style.
I have never had any desire to go to Coachella, but seeing the content from her performance this last weekend made me long for the desert festival. I think that what makes her songwriting, and stage presence so special is her unique incorporation of queer culture into all aspects of her career Roan has long held a love for drag culture (Chappell Roan is actually her drag persona)! Her individual shows are opened by drag queens, and her makeup/fashion style is deeply influenced by drag. I can’t say I am someone who knows much about drag, which is entirely my fault, but the aspects that make her so appealing to me seem to come from her love of drag culture.
Growing up as a queer woman, there were never any queer pop-stars really available for me to view and listen to. While the industry has been infiltrated by queer artists at an increasing rate, most queer female music doesn’t feed my obsession with such a specific brand of female pop. The fusion of my favorite genre of music with lyrics about being a queer woman is so incredible to me. It’s been said time and time again, but representation really does matter. There’s really no feeling quite like hearing a song that tells an aspect of your story.
Her well anticipated song “Good Luck, Babe!” really lends itself to the relatability that she has harnessed so well. Having been in a queer relationship where my partner was not out, and having denied my own queerness for a period of time, this song hits very close to home. For those who have somehow not heard the song yet, “Good Luck, Babe!” is a song about a sapphic couple, in which one of the partners is struggling with internalized homophobia and compulsory heterosexuality. Being in a relationship like that is not an experience that every single queer person has gone through, there’s something universal about the heartbreak of loving someone who refuses to admit that they love you back. Not only is the song relatable, its also just really good, as all her music is. It’s been all over my explore pages on social media, and though I do tend to get more of her content than a non-fan would, it’s clear that her fan base is expanding because of this song.
Unfortunately, her opening slot on Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts tour is ending before they reach Seattle. Roan will be performing at the Capitol Hill Block party, though! My chances of seeing her live are not at a complete zero. I can only see Chappell’s fame increasing from here, as she is precisely what the queer pop world needs; a hyper-feminine, flamboyant, super graphic ultra modern girl (like me). If you have any interest in queer music, female pop, or just good music in general, I think it’s high time that you got on the Chappell Roan train.