The Pink Pony Club singer is becoming a megastar in the music world
BY MEGAN BONLEY, IMAGE BY ALBUM COVER
Growing up in Missouri where being queer was a crime, Chappell Roan is now creating music to finally show her true self, at the age of 25. She was raised as a “Godgirl”, but at the time, looked up to the queens of pop themselves, Lady Gaga and Kesha.
Being a small-town girl, Chappell was a quiet and reserved character, who pretended to be a different person. Having to attend church three times a week, she was taught that “being gay was a sin”. But, regardless of this, knew from a young age that she was made to live the life of a star.
In her late teens, she jetted off to LA and was signed by Atlantic Records. Visiting her first gay club gave her all the inspiration she needed to write Pink Pony Club. Being brought up in Missouri, the club was like something she would’ve dreamt of. “I went to the gay club once and it was so impactful, like magic. It was the opposite of everything I was taught,” she told The Guardian.
From then on, Chappell’s music has shown the side of her energetic and confident alter-ego self. Her debut album, The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess, was everything that she’d been brought up to see as “wrong”. The album is about a closeted girl, growing up in a small-town, revolving around hot and steamy queer moments. Her music mirrors everything that a self-assured, badass girl would produce, however deep down, Chappell believes she is a different girl.
Her stage name was the beginning of creating this alternate character. It is in memory of her late grandfather, Dennis Chappell, and his favourite song, Mary Robbins’ The Strawberry Roan. Being Chapell Roan, instead of the character that people are much less aware of, Kayleigh Amstuzt, becomes tiring for her at times. “I couldn’t be Chappell all the time,” she told the BBC. “I’d be absolutely exhausted.”
Chappell has only just released a new single, Good Luck, Babe. She has over four million monthly listeners on Spotify, so let’s see where this new hit is going to take her!
Currently joining Olivia Rodrigo on her GUTS World tour, we can only imagine what a mega queer icon Chappell could become very soon. From being a small-town girl in Missouri to sharing the world stage with another breakup song queen, Chappell could be the next big thing, so keep an eye on this star!
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