The Importance of The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Chappell Roan is the most recent artist to essentially go viral overnight. Though she’s been in the music industry for a few years now, the twenty-six-year-old artist has blown up due to her unique style of music and performance. Many fans have compared her to eccentric rock and pop stars from the 1980s, but also more modern artists such as Lady Gaga. Much of her discography revolves around being queer, and her entire aesthetic is based on drag queens – the makeup, hair, outfits, everything. Whatever the opinion, there’s no denying her ability to perform and tell a story, and this has captivated audiences at outstanding rates the past few weeks.
This newfound fame comes around the release of her full debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. While the album touches on many themes including love, heartbreak, lust, fame and sexuality, Chappell Roan also references a more niche theme: her Midwest upbringing in Missouri. This is most obvious in the title of the album, but her dual identity of growing up in a small town and then moving to stardom appears in multiple songs. This is an aspect of her album that I find particularly compelling, and I think it provides important insight into her art and the Midwest itself that is often missing from mainstream music.
For an artist largely centered around the queer community and newfound stardom, Chappell Roan’s calls to the Midwest are rather unusual and surprising – it is not the first place anyone thinks of when it comes to queer culture. In fact, it is often the contrary. If the East and West coasts are considered queer culture hubs that are accepting of identities, the Midwest is considered the exact opposite. Small, often politically conservative towns are thought of as homogenous and unaccepting by many, including the people who come from there. And this extends beyond just queer communities – I have come to understand the common goal is to get as far away as possible from what is considered “small-minded” and limiting hometowns.
Chappell Roan’s album does touch on this sentiment of desiring more than what her hometown offers. In songs such as “Pink Pony Club ” and “California”, she discusses moving away from small-town life to the opportunities and acceptance of California, where she can achieve stardom. Here, she’s able to do anything, such as dancing at the strip club with no judgment compared to home where her family is appalled at the act. It’s as if she feels a sense of belonging there in contrast to where she grew up, and this is what drew her West in the first place.
But despite these struggles, there’s another side to those who feel drawn away from their Midwest hometowns. There is also much to love and leave behind, and Chappell Roan equally expresses this longing and appreciation, especially once you’re gone. In “California”, she finds herself missing her “dying town” in Missouri despite all the “seafoam envy and endless sun rays” in California. These themes hint at a complicated relationship with small hometowns that many have faced – though we may seek more than what a “dying town” can offer, this does not erase the value, memories and communities held there. Beyond references in her music, Chappell Roan has been outspoken about targeting Midwest audiences and communities. In a recent interview, she explained that she wants to make music that represents queer communities in small towns – ones that many don’t know exist. This is often missing in popular music, as queer culture is associated with bigger hubs, such as L.A. or New York City. However, the Midwest has more layers to it than many know. There are communities in these towns, and there have been for decades. They just operate in different ways than populated, culturally progressive cities. But this in no way diminishes their importance or legitimacy, and The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess draws attention to these less visible communities.
Consequently, Chappell Roan’s music touches on a duality of the Midwest that many have experienced. There are cultural aspects that feel limiting at times, and other cities may provide more concrete opportunities in freedom of expression and open spaces. Yet, despite this, we must not forget all appreciation and recognition of the communities that do exist in small towns. To do otherwise would completely erase these subsets, and inaccurately assign a monolith to a very diverse population. I hope Chappell Roan continues to pay homage to her upbringing in future art, as it adds an even deeper layer to her music and storytelling as well.