Chappell Roan is a queer pop sensation known for her hit songs like “Good Luck, Babe!”, “HOT TO GO!” and “Pink Pony Club”. With a fashion style heavily inspired by drag queens and songs about her experience being queer in a conservative town, she breaks away from the traditional pop stars we’re used to seeing. Chappell is outspoken, not only about her own identity, but also the struggles of minorities across the world.
Throughout her career, Chappell has made it a mission to use her platform to advocate and fundraise for what she believes in. On her personal website are links to charities GLO, a non-profit serving LGBTQ+ people the midwest, For the Gworls, a charity by and for black transgender people, and The Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide provention in queer youth.
Chappell recently auctioned her outfit featured in the music video for her song “HOT TO GO!” along with other items, donating the proceeds to various organizations providing relief for victims of the LA wildfires. Last year, she encouraged fans to drop off friendship bracelets at her merchandise stands to resell with all of the proceeds going towards Palestinian aid organization Mercy-USA.
At the 2025 Grammy awards, Chappell continued her passion of advocacy. When speaking before the ceremony to a reporter from the LGBTQ+ organization GLAAD, Chappell took the opportunity to speak directly to her transgender fans. “It’s brutal right now, but trans people have always existed and they will forever exist,” she said. “And they will never, no matter what happens, take trans joy away, and that has to be protected more than anything because I would not be here without trans girls. Just know that pop music is thinking about you and cares about you, and I’m doing my best to really stand up for you in every way I can.”
Chappell’s activism didn’t stop at the pre-interviews. While accepting her first ever grammy award, she took the time to speak out against the unfair labor practices in the music industry. “I told myself that if I ever won a Grammy and got to stand up here before the most powerful people in music,” Chappell read from her journal brought on stage with her. “I would demand that labels in the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a livable wage and health care, especially to developing artists. I got signed so young—I got signed as a minor. When I got dropped, I had zero job experience under my belt, and like most people, I had quite a difficult time finding a job in the pandemic and [could not] afford insurance. It was devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system and dehumanized. If my label had prioritized it, I could have been provided care for a company I was giving everything to. Record labels need to treat their artists as valuable employees with a livable wage and health insurance and protection.”
Since her speech, Chappell has partnered with the organization Backline Care, which focuses on mental health and wellness for music industry professionals. Since the announcement of this partnership, other prominent celebrities such as Charli XCX and Noah Kahn have followed suit.
Chappell Roan shows the world that being a pop star can mean so much more than success on the charts. Through her fashion, storytelling, and commitment to advocacy, she has set a new standard for what it means to use a platform for good. As her fame continues to grow, so does her impact—not just on the music industry, but on the lives she touches along the way.