Chappell Roan

Singer Chappell Roan blends her love of anthemic dance-pop with a drag queen-inspired theatricality and empowered, feminist energy. While she seemed to burst onto the scene in 2024, her rise was not overnight; she initially debuted in 2017 with her School Nights EP and scored a streaming smash with "Pink Pony Club" in 2020. Roan's first full-length, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, landed in 2023 and slowly began to gather buzz. Her appearances on tour with Olivia Rodrigo and her single "Hot to Go" helped propel the album to wider attention. By the end of 2024, the LP had reached number two on the Billboard 200 and earned Roan widespread acclaim, including a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.

Born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz in Willard, Missouri, in 1998, she started taking piano lessons as a preteen as well as teaching herself to play along by ear to her favorite records. She was also a member of her school choir. After she won a school talent show in the eighth grade, her mother encouraged her to perform around town, and she soon began posting her music online. Still going by her given name, Kayleigh Rose, she visited New York City in 2015 for label showcases, and on the strength of the single "Die Young" ended up signing with Atlantic Records as a junior in high school. Taking the stage name Chappell Roan (a tribute to her grandfather, Dennis K. Chappell), her official debut single, "Good Hurt," saw release in mid-2017. That September's School Nights EP was accompanied by a tour in support of Vance Joy. By then relocated to Los Angeles, Roan next toured with Declan McKenna and issued a series of singles, including "Bitter" (2018) and "Pink Pony Club" (2020). A dramatic pop fantasy about a dancer, the latter song garnered millions of plays on streaming services.

Roan parted ways with Atlantic in 2020, later returning in early 2022 with her first new material in two years, "Naked in Manhattan." A West Coast support slot for Olivia Rodrigo followed in May. She delivered more singles, including "My Kink Is Karma" and "Feminomenon," before the end of the year. Roan kicked off 2023 with a headlining jaunt dubbed "The Naked in North America Tour," also releasing the streaming hits "Red Wine Supernova" and "Kaleidoscope." These tracks appeared on her official debut LP, the Dan Nigro-produced The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, which arrived in September. She supported the breakthrough release with "The Midwest Princess Tour," as well as a supporting slot on Olivia Rodrigo's GUTS tour. A massive breakthrough, the album topped the U.K. charts, reached number two on the Billboard 200, and spawned the Top 20 Hot 100 hits "Hot to Go" and "Good Luck, Babe."

In the wake of Roan's rapid ascent, she experienced intense media coverage and consequently spoke out against the invasive behavior of some fans and reporters. She also canceled several live festival dates, citing stress and the need to prioritize her health. By the end of 2024, she had picked up two Grammy nominations for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. ~ Matt Collar & Marcy Donelson