Over the course of this summer, singer-songwriter Chappell Roan has shot into newfound stardom after the huge success of her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. The album contains hit songs such as “HOT TO GO!,” and “Pink Pony Club.” Roan is known for her extravagant performances, unique style, and social media presence, which resulted in a record-breaking crowd size at her set at the Lollapalooza festival.
“Chappell Roan is an incredible artist and I hope she will go on a solo tour soon,” said sophomore Helene Burke.
Since her fame has grown so fast, the singer has been vocal about how she is having a hard time coping with all the attention, and has opened up about struggles with various stalkers. Due to these issues and newfound stardom, Roan has canceled several performances to take care of her mental health.
For instance, Roan was set to headline a music festival, All Things Go, alongside other big names such as Reneé Rapp, Hozier, and Conan Gray. Chappell Roan’s was scheduled to perform on Sept. 28 and Sept. 29 in New York City and Washington D.C., but canceled her performances just a day before the festival, and received a large amount of backlash from excited fans.
“I apologize to people who have been waiting to see me in NYC & DC this weekend at All Things Go, but I am unable to perform. Things have gotten overwhelming over the past few weeks and I am really feeling it. I feel pressures to prioritize a lot of things right now and I need a few days to prioritize my health,” said Chappell Roan in a message to her fans on Instagram.
Despite the retaliation Roan received from many fans who were supposed to attend the festival, the rest of her fan base appeared to support her on social media. The support came from a place of understanding, since it wasn’t specifically just Roan’s concert, and that there were other acts to see for anyone who was planning on attending. Many also came in Roan’s defense due to her known mental health issues.
“I don’t think it’s fair because people book their hotels and make the proper arrangements, and when the artists cancel with such short notice, fans are not just losing out on the experience of seeing their favorite artist in concert, but the money they had spent in order to go,” said sophomore Sadie Liberman.
In my opinion, Chappell Roan should have given more notice to fans before canceling her All Things Go set. Many people flew from all over the country to see her specifically, and the ticket prices boomed because of her immense popularity. Of course I believe that mental health comes first, but the least she could have done was release some sort of statement earlier.
“It’s not like you are solely going to see Chapell. It’s disappointing and I totally get it, but you have other artists to see that are also amazing,” said math teacher Ms. Mary Ingrilli.
Regarding the issues with publicity, and paparazzi, I am torn. In some ways, when you enter the music industry and sign up for fame, you have to be prepared for the paparazzi and crazy fans. Unfortunately, that is what is accepted in today’s celebrity culture, and if you don’t like it, you should not be in this position. However, she is completely right in that no one should be stalked or harassed. Someone asking politely for a picture is perfectly okay, but I think the paparazzi can be an invasion of privacy. Celebrities are people with feelings, not just a public image. Harassing and stalking are extreme measures, and are awful to think about. There have been many instances of photos being turned away by Roan, which have resulted in online accounts attempting to harass or stalk her and her close friends and family.
“I don’t care that this crazy type of behavior comes along with the job, the career field I’ve chosen. That does not make it OK. That doesn’t make it normal. That doesn’t mean that I want it. That doesn’t mean that I like it,” said Chappell Roan in a heated TikTok video expressing her concerns regarding being stalked by “fans.”
Along with the controversy surrounding Roan’s refusal to take photos, she has received backlash due to her refusal to endorse a candidate for the 2024 election. This shocked many, as her clear alignment with the LGBTQ+ and drag communities in much of her music and performance was cause to believe that she would use her platform to protect rights for these communities. With all of these issues combining, the heated debate over Chappell Roan’s actions and public image have intensified.
Apart from Roan, concert cancellations have become increasingly common, with other mainstream artists canceling their shows due to health problems and sickness. For instance, Gracie Abrams, a young pop artist who opened for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, was supposed to perform at Radio City Music Hall on Oct. 6, but had to cancel under doctor’s orders due to a vocal injury. Rapper Childish Gambino (formally Donald Glover) also took to his social media platforms on Oct. 4 that due to health concerns, he needed to cancel the rest of the North American and European leg of his tour.
With all this controversy it is hard to tell where Chappell Roan’s popularity will end up. Of course the singer still has many devoted fans, but will she have the same skyrocketed popularity as before? Chappell Roan has had an incredible rise to fame, but who knows—will the Midwest Princess fall as quickly as she rose?