The modern age’s pop star princess, Chappell Roan, started getting noticed in late 2023 and has quickly become a worldwide phenomenon.
Chappell Roan is the stage name for Missouri-born singer-songwriter Kayleigh Amstutz. After opening for Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts tour in August 2023 and then having her latest single blow up, Chappell has grown to be one of the biggest stars in recent music history. Her single “Good Luck, Babe!” peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and now has over 600 million streams on Spotify in just half a year.
All over the world, fans of a variety of music genres have recognized her talent. Many celebrities, such as Noah Kahan, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, and even Elton John, have shown their support for her.
Aside from the catchy melody, one reason for the success of the single — and the rest of her music – is the lyricism. It is very unpolished while still being fresh, and rough around the edges but still having a delicate side. Her music shows real and relatable situations, while still having a flair for the dramatic.
Another reason for her overall boost to stardom is the retro feeling that her music has. In recent years, there has been a surge of 2000s culture revival and 1980s appreciation. Chappell has both of these things: Between the sound of her music and her elaborate fashion choices, she draws inspiration from music and art before her time. This nostalgia brings attention that more strictly modern-leaning aesthetics may not have.
She has also received much love and support from the LGBTQ community, due to her authentic and unapologetic performance as a queer artist. Her vintage style pulls a lot of its inspiration from drag queens, and she has said herself that “Chappell Roan” is more of a drag queen persona for her rather than who she really is as a person.
And although she has received love and support from countless people, stardom has its ups and downs.
In mid-August, the artist posted a video criticizing the behavior of some fans. She reminded the public that she’s a human being, and that unreasonable behavior, such as harassing or stalking her, should not be tolerated. Unsurprisingly, the video has started discourse online, with some people claiming that she’s not a good person, or that she’s undeserving of fame, because of the boundaries she set.
It doesn’t seem like the temporary criticism is going to do much damage to her long-term career, though, because the controversy brought a lot of support on her side. While any issue can and will have opposition, it is evident that she has more supporters than haters. At the end of the day, the bickering is an online thing, but her music still has a cultural impact.
