The midwest princess shot from living in a trailer park to performing center stage at sold out shows. In September 2023, Roan released her debut album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” but Roan’s turning point in her career all started with Roan opening for Olivia Rodrigo’s concerts in which she gained more popularity.
“Chappell Roan makes fun music that people can dance to,” senior Kayla Dupree said. “Not many artists do that anymore.”
In the beginning of 2024, Roan performed as an opening act on Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS World Tour. During this period, fans became entranced with her angelic voice and even more intriguing personality.
“Roan is a very blunt person,” Dupree said. “She has no media training which I think makes the public intrigued even more.”
As the obsessions grew with a mysterious artist from a small town in Missouri, fans screamed with joy over Roans single “Good Luck Babe!”
“I think haters of Roan dislike her because she canceled some Europe dates last minute,” Senior Anajulia Adams said. “She blew up so fast that [she] is overwhelmed by the amount of support and quick criticisms [she’s received].”
Not everything is as it appears with Roans career. Roan has had to dodge obstacles and slowly pave her way to the top and, though she is often labeled as one, is not simply an “overnight success.” She grew up playing streets in the midwest with nothing but a keyboard, a microphone and a dream.
“She stands up for women and girl power,” Dupree said. “She symbolizes a lot of the equalities and freedoms that we need right now in the industry.”
With Roan growing up in a small Missouri town with the population of 6,000, she was raised very strictly. She grew up in a conservative household, going to church three times a week. Even though she embraced her true queer identity when she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career, she still brings her past with her.
“But the Midwest remains a very big part of who I am,” Roan said in an interview with Vanity Fair. “It’s where I grew up, and I do love certain parts of it—the peace and growing up in a trailer park, four wheeling, the farm and bonfires.”
Roan’s journey to fame was not handed to her on a silver platter. In 2020, Roan released the song “Pink Pony Club,” which was rejected by Atlantic Records for over a year. This defeat stopped the midwest princess and tracked her to take a break for a while.
“She writes what I feel and puts it perfectly in a singular song,” Adam’s said. “She shows fans that being yourself makes you different, and that spark in her made her career happen.”
Roan moved back in with her parents and slowly gained the courage to continue her dream, moving back to LA soon afterwards. She worked multiple jobs from being a barista to a nanny. During this era, Roan channeled her inner 80s “Kate Bush” persona and got a publishing deal with Sony. With her new album, “The Rise and Fall of A Midwest Princess,” which rose to Billboard’s number 1, fans started to get on a dangerous level of obsession.
“I feel more love than I ever have in my life,” Roan said. “[But] I feel the most unsafe I have ever felt in my life.”
Dangerous acts by fans started to occur with harassment towards Roan and even stalking her everywhere she went. Many haters believe that she was never meant for fame especially after she cursed at a VMA’s photographer who did shout curse words at her as well. Even with the backlash from her lack of media training, she ended the night with an amazing speech that highlighted her unique personality.
“For all the queer kids in the Midwest watching right now: I see you,” Roan said. “I understand you because I’m one of you, and don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t be exactly who you want to be.”
