Chappell Roan Redefining "Celebrity"

By Victoria Baker

Introduction

Chappell Roan is an LGBTQ+ pop star/icon who has graced the world with massive hits such as “Pink Pony Club,” “Good Luck, Babe!” and her notorious debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess which includes the hit song “Hot To Go.” She has constantly been in the media due to her prominent social media presence, but also due to numerous controversies.

Chappell Roan, also known as Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, lived in a trailer park in Missouri with the rest of her family: her mother, her father, and three siblings. She began playing piano at a young age, and debuted on the internet at 14 or so years old, where she posted song covers to YouTube.

Roan is known for her “camp- and drag queen-influenced aesthetic” (Wikipedia). This aesthetic, and Roan openly being a lesbian, has garnered a large LGBTQ+ following, and she has happily taken on the role of an LGBTQ+ spokesperson and activist.

The artist has been outspoken about any and all abuses in the music industry, but also within society. She has received immense levels of backlash because of this, which begs the question: is society ready for an outspoken woman to take the spotlight? What about a gay one?

Consequences of Fast Fame

Roan wrote the original song, “Die Young” at age 16, which led to her signing to Atlantic Records at 17. Upon moving to Los Angeles, she found it was her true home; which became the theme of her song “Pink Pony Club,” released in 2020. Though it was not making waves upon release, it quickly became a song of the summer.

TikTok changed the game for her. Posting regularly, she gained a quick following. The “Hot To Go!” dance became viral on TikTok, leading to millions of streams of her song, and many fans discovering Roan for the first time.

Fast forward to 2024: her performance at Coachella made her “blow up” even more. And, just recently, she received a GRAMMY award for Best New Artist.

Roan rapidly rose to fame with little time to adapt. She quickly found many of the perks of being famous, but also the drawbacks. She has equated fame to an abusive husband: “I feel like fame is just abusive. The vibe of this– stalking, talking shit online [people who] won’t leave you alone, yelling at you in public– is the vibe of an abusive ex-husband…That’s what it feels like. I didn’t know it would feel this bad.”

In response to the abrasive treatment she has received from fans, she posted a notes-style Instagram post explicitly demanding boundaries be made not just for her, but for every woman, everywhere. She explains that she does not believe she owes time to strangers, even if they are expressing admiration to her– deliberately dismantling the parasocial relationship between fan and celebrity. She emphasizes the importance of herself, writing “There is a part of myself that I save just for my project and all of you. There is a part of myself that is just for me, and I don’t want that taken away from me.” She also turned off comments: “This isn’t a group conversation.”

This post received both backlash and positive feedback. Many celebrities reposted, sharing that they, too, need more privacy and need to be respected as people rather than brands. Shawn Mendes, for example, reposted it and wrote, "Well said @chappellroan❤️‍🩹." Miley Cyrus has also publicly offered support, among many others.

Roan has been very open about all this new attention she is receiving, and how she is navigating it. She’s been adamant about having the privacy she deserves, and that no job should force you to give up your privacy and your previous life.

Jia Tolentino, American writer and editor for the New Yorker since 2016, wrote a novel titled, The I in Internet, where she discussed an identity phenomenon regarding “on-stage” and “off-stage” selves. We are all guilty of this. The on-stage self is who you are around people, and how you adapt to your environment around you. The off-stage self is who you are when you’re alone and no longer “performing.”

Chappell Roan has made a big bold line dividing these two identities within herself. Her on-stage self is Chappell Roan, and her off-stage self is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz: and NO ONE knows who Kayleigh is; we only know Chappell Roan because that’s what she lets us know. She explained in a podcast interview, “Chappell Roan is my drag project. And, I think, that’s also helped personally to separate it as a job, and me as Kayleigh.”

Regarding this parasocial relationship, she makes it clear that you do not know her, and though you support her, that does not mean she has to take time out of her day to say hello, or pose for a picture. This is starkly different from what other celebrities do: most will stop for a photo, and are in fact criticized when they do not, depicted as “rude.” It makes sense, from the fan’s perspective, to simply ask for a photo, because that’s all you’re going to see. You run into a celebrity you admire at the supermarket and ask for a picture, and it’s no big deal because it’s just one picture. But to the celebrity, that’s their day off; they’re not “on.” And just one picture for you doesn’t mean that’s the only picture they take that day– imagine if every fan of that celebrity in that supermarket asked them for a photo? They will never get to pick up their damn eggs.

“Everything that I really love to do now comes with baggage. If I want to go thrifting, I have to book security and prepare myself that this is not going to be normal. Going to the park, pilates, yoga - how do I do this in a safe way where I’m not going to be stalked or harassed?” - The Guardian

In another Instagram post, Roan wrote, “This job is very difficult for me to process and maintain a healthy life & mindset…I’m working through it and I’m grateful I have the means to afford therapy and occasional time off…” This transparency is something we are seeing more and more regarding mental health. A once taboo topic (look how people treated Britney Spears’ blatant cries for help) is now becoming more normalized, and Roan is helping in this. She also admits she’s still learning to navigate this new attention and that she’s not perfect, which increases her ethos appeal greatly, sounding more humble and relatable to non-celebrities.

She Doesn't Give a Shit

One interesting thing about Chappell Roan is that she doesn’t give a shit about what you have to say about her, and she is putting her safety first. She even threatened to quit being a pop star if it ever gets too dangerous; something that, to my knowledge, we have never seen before.

She is loud, she is abrasive, she is queer, and she is outspoken: everything that JD Vance hates in a woman. Which is what makes her so awesome; and also what makes her more susceptible to criticism.

She’s incredibly confrontational, and that is the exact reason she’s so criticized. Women in the public eye are supposed to be compromising, kind, and…well, perfect. She’s not.

“I’m very turned off by the celebrity of it all…Some girls have been in this so long that they’re used to [being yelled at by photographers], but I’m not that girl. I’m not gonna be a sweetie pie to a man who’s telling me to shut the fuck up.” This instance– her snapping back at a rude photographer– got insane levels of press, because– wait a minute…this woman doesn’t like to be yelled at?

Many people online, out of the scrutiny of the public eye, say that by asking for respect and space, she’s being hypocritical, as she wanted to be a pop star, and this is simply what happens when you become a pop star: she asked for this. In response, Roan says, “They think I’m complaining about my success. I’m complaining about being abused.”

Roan is starting an incredibly enlightening conversation. Since being a celebrity means you’re in the spotlight, does that mean you must accept injustices that come with the job, just because that’s how they’ve always been? Or is it worth taking a step back and realizing that some of these actions are not okay, and maybe it’s time they need to change?

The Gay Of It All

Not only is Chappell Roan outspoken about the importance of her safety, she is also an incredible advocate for LGBTQ+ and trans rights. Nearly every Instagram post or acceptance speech by Roan includes some mention of her queer fans, and how they deserve love just like everyone else. She has been called our generation's Lady Gaga, not just because of the similar “out-there” looks, but for their advocacy for the gay community (but let it be known: I grew UP on Gaga!).

Many celebrities are criticized for abusing their platforms and not posting about things that “matter”; whatever that might mean to you. But Roan is always using her platform to promote gay and trans rights.

One particular criticism of Roan, though, is her refusal to endorse a candidate in the 2024 presidential election. Many fans felt she was being very hypocritical to be advocating for gay rights but refusing to endorse Kamala Harris while her opponent (D*nald Tr*mp) is notoriously against the LGBTQ+ community.

She said, “I have many issues with our government in every way. There are so many things that I would want to change. So I don’t feel pressured to endorse someone. There’s problems on both sides. I encourage people to use your critical thinking skills, use your vote– vote small, vote for what’s going on in your city.”

Many fans were upset with this, so she further clarified what she meant in a TikTok, saying that she is of course voting for Harris, but she does not want to endorse her as a candidate because she encourages her fans to stay critical of both sides. Particularly, she is unhappy with the left’s neglect of trans support and of the genocide in Gaza. She said, “This is not me playing both sides. This is me questioning both sides because this is what we have in front of us.”

Conclusion

I personally think that Chappell Roan is making a lot of changes in the celebrity world that may be long overdue. Before this project, I thought Roan was abrasive and unkind– I now see that that’s exactly what the media wants us to think of a woman who is demanding respect from her fans and others. It’s refreshing to see a celebrity using her platform for good and advocating for groups that need it, and doing so unapologetically.

Maybe Roan and people like her are the people that should be famous: she is every PR team's worst nightmare and every queer person’s dream.

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