Chappell Roan is a 26-year-old pop singer and songwriter who released her first album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” in 2023. Roan is known as the people’s “pop princess,” as she performs with all her heart in extremely creative outfits and make-up. Her songs are emotional and powerful, based around her feelings as she came out. Roan was openly queer for a while but came out as a lesbian this year at a show in Ohio. Many people enjoy her music, like me, for that reason, because it is hard to find good music that doesn’t revolve around liking a man.
Recently, Roan has gotten some criticism on her recent openness about meeting fans and political opinions. In Aug. 2024, Roan posted multiple TikToks addressing interactions with fans. She said they often made her uncomfortable, and didn’t understand why people were upset when she refused a photo or a hug. Roan said that it’s not normal to go up to someone expecting a hug, and they shouldn’t expect that of her. I must agree with Roan on this point because personal space is extremely important. Also, there has been an uprise of stalking celebrities, even some instances that end horribly. She is just as much of a human being as any of us are, so she should have the same rights that we have, to refuse someone away. I cannot lie though; I would be a little disappointed if I got the chance to meet Roan and not get an autograph or a picture.
Roan also had a controversy in Sept., when she didn’t endorse either presidential candidate for the 2024 presidential election. She encouraged her fans to do their research about ballot races before deciding. Also she announced was that she was not voting for former president Donald Trump. This is where I got a little disappointed in Roan, because as someone who is so enthusiastic about LGBTQ+ rights, and specifically trans rights, how did you not vote against the man who wants to cut healthcare for those who are transgender? More importantly, how are you not publicly showing your support to Kamala Harris? I have so many questions I want to ask Roan about this election, and I’m sure many others do too.
Roan was set to perform in the All Things Go Music Festival, until she withdrew from the festival the day before. Roan explained that she needed to prioritize her health, but many fans were upset after spending a lot of money to see her and not getting a refund. As someone with mental health struggles, I know how hard it can be to predict how you’re going to feel in the future, so canceling last-minute might not be great for the fans, but Roan probably felt so much relief after sending out the cancelation notice. I do, however, believe that fans should’ve got a refund, for a lot of people just went to see her.
Even with all the drama with Roan these past few months, I am still a fan of the pop princess and her music. She keeps her personal life separate from her industry life, which is a challenging thing to do with the number of paparazzi around. She sets her boundaries and makes them stick, something a lot of artists wish they could do.