Chappell Roan is no stranger to unapologetically expressing herself ā whether that be dressing in drag for her performances or sharing her stance on world issues, the singer is always speaking her mind. While fans often side with Roan for sharing opinions on different topics, many havenāt been too supportive of the singerās most recent actions.
While speaking with the Guardian on Sept. 20, Roan shared her stance on endorsing candidates ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election. Unlike other artists like Taylor Swift, Roan has not publicly endorsed a political candidate for the election. āI have so many issues with our government in every way,ā Roan said. āThere are so many things that I would want to change. So I donāt feel pressured to endorse someone. Thereās problems on both sides. I encourage people to use your critical thinking skills, use your vote ā vote small, vote for whatās going on in your city.ā
Following Roanās interview, many were taking her words out of context and felt as though, since she has such a large following, an endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris would greatly impact her campaign. Following her interview, Roan posted two videos on TikTok, on Sept. 25 and Sept. 26 respectively, in an effort to correct the narrative.
āF*ck the policies of the right, but also f*ck some of the policies on the left. Thatās why I canāt endorse. Thatās why I canāt put my entire name and my entire project behind one,ā Roan said in one of the videos. Her stance is, honestly, more than valid.
As a pop artist, Roan is not entitled to do anything other than create art for people to listen to and scream the lyrics of. What seemed to be an ick for viewers wasnāt Roanās sentiments in the TikToks, but instead, how she was expressing herself. Many found her aggression and frustration to be unwarranted, as well as the fact that she mispronounced Harrisā name.Ā
Although Roan could have expressed herself in another way, her words are important and donāt deserve to be dragged. All Roan wants people to do is understand that, no, she is not āplaying both sidesā and is instead āquestioning both sides.ā
Following the rampant backlash Roan received as a result of her two TikToks, she also announced via Instagram Story on Sept. 27 that she would no longer be performing at the All Things Go festival in both DC and NYC to prioritize her health.
Chappell Roan will no longer be performing at All Things Go this weekend. pic.twitter.com/2S451aGuRi
ā š (@concertleaks) September 27, 2024
Since Roan announced her cancellation, many fans have been sending hate her way, which is absolutely unnecessary. It seems like many feel entitled to seeing Roan perform, even at the expense of her mental health. While disappointment is absolutely understandable, thinking that Roan owes her fans anything other than an apology is not. In a generation that stresses the importance of prioritizing your mental health, we should be proud of Roan for taking that step instead of bashing her for it.Ā
Iām not trying to tell anyone what to do, but instead of sending Roan hate, maybe itās time to reflect on how words have the ability to really hurt someoneās feelings. No one is bulletproof. Even if someoneās famous, they are real people too. Acknowledging that is vital, especially in the time of social media.
Choosing your needs and health over anything else is an extremely important thing, especially in the limelight. So, the internet should acknowledge that and give Chappell Roan some grace because she deserves it.