Every day on social media is a new episode of How Dare Chappell Roan. One minute it’s “industry plant!” – because people can’t handle someone gaining traction without the slow burn of DIY street cred. Next, it’s a fever dream about her being a secret Republican because she dared to criticize the Biden administration. As if “Joe Biden is kind of mid” was some spicy take in 2024. Then it’s about her being too vocal about the emotional toll of fame. And now there’s some viral Facebook manifesto about her “not being queer enough” to properly represent the LGBTQ+ community. I’m not even a big fan of her music (it’s pretty okay, I guess?), but I honestly don’t know why she’s such a hot topic for pop culture.
It’s like people saw Chappell Roan in a pink cowboy hat and lost their minds.
Let’s break this down. First of all, the industry plant accusations. Yes, the production on her songs is slick. Yes, she suddenly seems to be everywhere. But the idea that her success materialized out of nowhere is just flat-out wrong. Go do five minutes of homework. “Pink Pony Club” dropped back in 2020, and even then it sounded like the kind of pop anthem that crawls out of the queer nightlife scene with glitter under its fingernails and a chip on its shoulder. She’s not fresh out of the box. She’s been clawing her way to this moment for several years. As with so many artists who finally catch a break (see also: Caroline Polachek, Rina Sawayama, Jessie Ware), the perception of sudden stardom reflects when you started paying attention.
The real question is why the minute a woman — particularly a queer woman — achieves a measurable amount of visibility, the internet collective immediately goes into detective mode. Who let her in? Who’s pulling the strings? Is she “real” enough? God forbid a pop artist gets some marketing dollars behind her.
It’s misogyny. Plain and simply. Stop clutching your pearls and pretending this isn’t how the music industry has worked since forever. Nobody says this when a dude shows up with two major label singles and a Rolling Stone feature. But if a woman arrives in full aesthetic bloom, we start reaching for the word “plant” like it’s a slur.
As a straight guy, I will not weigh in on whether or not a lesbian pop star is being sufficiently lesbian.
That’s not my lane. But what is she supposed to do anyway? If she said “I’m queer” in every single shred of media, people would say she’s exploiting queer culture for monetary gain. What constitutes being gay enough anyway? Is there some sort of checklist or criteria these people are going by? I think it’s commendable when a pop star uses their platform to speak up on various issues. But so far all I’ve seen is Roan getting roasted when she speaks up about anything.
Politically speaking, I have some garbage-tier relatives who do NOT represent me ( I’m talking real garbage, the kind you wouldn’t pee on if they were on fire). So what if Roan’s got a GOP uncle? Who cares. She’s not stumping for him. And her critiques of the Biden administration? They read more like a “Yeah, we know” tweet than any kind of revolutionary rhetoric. Most of us who voted blue in 2024 did so with the enthusiasm of taking expired medicine anyway. And look at how that turned out for us? Just because she’s famous doesn’t mean she is required to campaign for any kind of politician.
Let’s talk about the fame stuff, because that’s where the discourse gets extra warped. Artists like Mitski, Lorde, and Billie Eilish have all been through this cycle. They give us vulnerability, admit the pressure is crushing, and suddenly they’re labeled ungrateful or difficult. The same people demanding authenticity can’t handle the part where authenticity means saying, “This actually kind of sucks.” With Roan, there’s an extra layer because she’s openly queer and inhabiting a space that’s expected to be both personally cathartic and publicly activist.
Chappell Roan isn’t allowed to just be a person navigating fame – she’s got to be a symbol, too. That’s exhausting to type.
Sure, some people don’t like her music. That’s fine. As I said earlier, her music isn’t for me. It’s theatrical and a little obnoxious, while being covered in sequins and neon regret. But there’s something deeply refreshing about an artist who isn’t afraid to be maximalist. Her music has the emotional chaos of a breakup text and the production style of a drag show finale. It’s weird, exaggerated, and very online.
However, there’s nothing wrong with not liking a song, artist, or particular sound. I don’t like the music, but I also recognize that not everything is made for me. Not everything has to sound like someone mumbling into a reverb pedal about the moon or be a demonic thrash metal machine. (By the way, have you checked out the album recommendations I offer up each month?)
Pop music needs weirdos. It needs people who aren’t trying to be everyone’s best friend or a thought leader.
Roan’s not offering you a utopia or a revolution. She’s offering you a mirrorball cracked just enough to catch all the angles of joy, confusion, pain, and sparkly existentialism. That’s valuable. That matters. If that’s not your thing, that’s okay! If you don’t like her music or persona, you can move along. Despite being one of the most popular artists the mainstream has to offer, it’s not like she’s being shoved down your throat every 5 seconds. I may not be the target audience, but I do occasionally like to keep my ear to the ground. Trust me: her songs being pushed on mainstream radio aren’t as bad as her detractors say they are. I assure you, 2024 had plenty of worse songs.
This article isn’t about standing up for a pop star, but I do encourage people to take a step back. It’s just pop music. Let’s cool it on the cultural dissection. Not every pop star needs to be a personal savior. Not every moment of visibility needs to turn into a referendum. Sometimes people make art, it hits, and we get to enjoy the ride without turning it into a court case.
And to be honest, what if all the negative assertions made about Chappell Roan are in fact true? Does it really matter? You’re allowed to be critical of your idols. When Glenn Danzig (one of my favorite artists) sold a t-shirt with a N*zi symbol on it on a recent tour, you know what I did? I called it out! Also, there’s a lot worse stuff going on in the world than Chappell Roan making music, and plenty of other rich and famous people should be burned at the stake. Don’t even get me started on the mutants currently running the country.
Let Chappell Roan be weird and famous. Most importantly, just let her … be.
For more information on Chappell Roan, please visit iamchappellroan.com