How did the summer hit artist Chappell Roan already fall from the graces of her large fanbase? Many people, especially on TikTok, may have seen some backlash against Chappell Roan. Critics are coming for her politics, as well as her treatment of her fans and the paparazzi. Iâm here to lay out the timeline of the controversy and explain The Rise and Fall of this Midwest Princess.
Roanâs hit album âThe Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princessâ was released on September 22, 2023, but it did not start receiving its due recognition until she began opening for Olivia Rodrigoâs âGutsâ tour on February 23, 2024.
By the summertime, Roan was on her way to being a mainstream artist, which was vastly different from this artist’s career so far. She had been signed and dropped from a label and finally beginning to see success as an independent artist.
She gained a following doing âcampyâ themed shows in her drag looks in smaller venues. But after touring with Rodrigo and her release of her single âGood Luck Babe,â Roanâs popularity skyrocketed.
She performed at huge venues like Coachella and Gov Ball, at which she took the opportunity to speak out about trans rights, and womenâs rights and stand in support of Palestine. Publicly announcing that she rejected an invitation to the White House to perform for Pride could have been a controversial stance, but she continued to gain popularity, even beyond the queer community.
On August 19th, Roan posted two videos to her TikTok account essentially telling her fans what unacceptable behavior that she will not stand for. Artists asking fans for respect and privacy is not a new phenomenon, but her pleas for decency in person and online were not met with kindness. Comments on these videos were muted, but people had no issue posting their unfavorable takes on Roanâs pleas for privacy.
Directly after these posts, Roan performed at the VMAâs where she won the award for Best New Artist. On the red carpet before the show, a clip of her yelling at a photographer went viral. With little context, this incident led to even more controversy online about the artist.
In an interview with The Guardian, Roan revealed that she would not endorse Harris. This small aspect of the story was taken out of context and people online were accusing her of being a hypocrite and a Trump supporter. She posted on her TikTok on September 24th and 25th clarifying that she would be voting for Harris but cannot endorse a political candidate because she believes âThereâs problems on both sides.â Critics online continued to harass the artist for this political stance.
Then, the artist canceled her shows for the All Things Go festival in NYC and Washington at the last minute, claiming it was due to a mental health struggle. She apologized to her fans via her Instagram. Many were understanding, but those who had already joined the cancel Chappell bandwagon were only gaining speed.
The artist has openly talked about her struggle with bipolar disorder, and given the seemingly overnight rise to fame, it makes sense that Roan would be feeling overwhelmed and struggling with her mental health. But there is no rest for the wicked. Negative commentary and opinions of her continue to circle the internet, specifically on TikTok.
Personally, I donât feel that her cancellation on social media is warranted. Her brand has always been to be a non-conventional LGBTQ+ activist. It may have been that many only knew her as the girl who wrote âGood Luck Babe,â which could explain why they were taken aback by her bluntness
Regardless of how you feel about her, now you know all the facts of how Chappell Roan rose and fell from her throne.