Cut Chappell Roan Some Slack
When I was young, I wanted to be an artist. I made butterflies out of egg cartons, chalked my father’s freshly paved sidewalks and was perpetually covered in glitter, paint, and streaks of marker. In elementary school, my interests shifted to music. I was a passable clarinet player, often forgoing the instrument to instead run at recess, but nonetheless encaptivated by song. My incredible and patient music teachers fostered in me a love of singing and its integral role in bringing people together.
This story may seem hokey. Why do you care about my passable clarinet playing and arts and crafts projects as a child? You don’t. Many of us share a love of the arts! Which means it was a shared experience to be told in our youth that we were, “Not gonna make a lot of money doing that.”
This statement always made me laugh. For two reasons:
- Children have no concept of money.
- Why is it assumed that a lack of monetary compensation is the worst downside of pursuing a career in the arts?
It’s not.
It is becoming increasingly clear that especially for artists who reach major success, all the money in the world cannot replace the loss of autonomy and privacy which characterizes their careers. For a while, it seemed like society has accepted this trade off as the norm. To be successful in the arts, you must beat out all the odds and come to terms with the fact that you will lose all concepts of solitude and personal space if you gain major popularity. However, not all artists are content with sacrificing their personal lives to express themselves through art: let’s talk about The Midwest Princess.
Chappell Roan, the breakout pop star who skyrocketed to popularity this past year, had been open about her distaste for fame, equating it to a toxic relationship. “I feel like fame is just abusive. The vibe of this — stalking, talking s— online, [people who] won’t leave you alone, yelling at you in public — is the vibe of an abusive ex-husband,” the singer told The Face in September. Roan came of age like myself and many others, she was born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz in the traditional smalltown of Willard, Missouri. She started writing songs after she won an eighth-grade talent show and eventually, in an increasingly common development, the singer blew up on Tik Tok and signed with Nigro’s imprint Amusement Records (a subsidiary of legacy label Island).
Despite the warm reception for her album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, Chappell has not backed down in the face of those who cross her boundaries. Roan has detailed many instances of fans and others trying to take advantage of her, treating her like she owes them instead of as a “normal” person. In interviews, the star has described being kissed without her consent, having her father’s personal number leaked, and being harassed by a man at an airport yelling at her to “really humble yourself” and “don’t forget where you come from” after she refused to sign things for him.
Earlier this year, Chappell Roan canceled festival appearances in New York City and Columbia Maryland. The artist explained in an Instagram story, saying, “I feel pressure to prioritize a lot of things right now and I need a few days to prioritize my health. I want to be present when I perform and give the best shows possible. Thank you for understanding.” Nonetheless, Roan’s choice was met with backlash from fans and claims that she is “unprofessional” and “not built for fame”.
But, these same fans and clowns alike, should know that Chappell Roan has been open with her struggles with bipolar II disorder, which makes it difficult for her to regulate emotions in light of her new success. “Things have gotten overwhelming over the past few weeks and I am really feeling it,” she wrote in an Instagram story about her decision.
The lack of empathy in the face of a star who has been vocal about her own mental health struggles and issues with stalking, doxxing and uncomfortable fan encounters shows how we as society treat our modern pop stars. While we may warn children when they are young that careers in the arts mean economic poverty, maybe we should instead be advising them to enjoy their privacy now, while they have it. To be an artist, especially a musician, means to never be alone again. Why is it that in an age where people are more vocal and connected than ever, we mistreat those whose creation helps us feel connected, validated, and united. Is it sad that Chappell Roans fans weren’t able to see her at All Things Go festival, absolutely. But what’s sadder is that a little girl who came of age singing at a talent show in Missouri, now has to subject herself to gross boundary overreach and parasocial behaviors, just to share the art that helps her and others feel seen.