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In this column, Regan discusses celebrity drama and controversies.
has chappell roan chappelled her last roan?
has chappell roan chappelled her last roan?
By Regan Snyder
By Regan Snyder
For some celebrities, controversy is only a passing phenomenon. For others, it can be a recurring nightmare that haunts their entire career. This has certainly been the case for Chappell Roan, a 28-year-old pop star whose rise in success has granted her as much criticism as it has accolades. Although her career has weathered all prior disputes, many are wondering if her most recent scandal will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
Image of Chappell Roan, credits to Pitchfork
Chappell Roan, born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, first began her musical career in 2017 under Atlantic Records. The label eventually dropped her in 2020 due to her lack of success. She later signed with Island Records and, in 2023, released her album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. Although the album was not an immediate success, it managed to gain a significant amount of mainstream popularity later in 2024. The momentum may have been slow at first but, when success hit, it rapidly transformed Roan into an easily recognizable pop icon.
From the very beginning of her newfound fame, Roan began racking up controversies. The adjustment to fame was tough, and in an interview with Rolling Stone, she stated that “normal” no longer existed for her. Her struggle to adjust to swarms of admirers led to a TikTok where she called out certain fans for being overly nosy and creepy about her life. In a TikTok, on Aug. 2024, she stated, “I don’t care that abuse and harassment, stalking, whatever, is a normal thing to do to people who are famous…that does not make it okay.” Some fans felt offended by the criticism of her own supporters, claiming that Roan does not have any appreciation for the people who made her famous. Others snapped back that she deserves to be able to create boundaries for herself and that she does not owe anything to millions of people she doesn’t know. By the time this drama cooled down, a new controversy arose at the 2024 VMAs.
Roan’s 2024 VMA appearance made headlines due to her distinctive response to a disrespectful photographer. The musician made it abundantly clear that she would not tolerate any impudence from the press. The boldness of this move ruffled the feathers of numerous fans and was quickly and, perhaps unfortunately, succeeded by her next controversy. When fans asked Roan to take a stance on the 2024 election, she made a TikTok in which she states that she does not want to “feel pressured to endorse someone.” She later made a TikTok clarifying that she was planning on voting for Kamala Harris, but that “endorsing and voting are completely different.” Following this, Roan was heavily criticized, with many supporters turning heel and calling her idealistic, uncaring, and hypocritical. Luckily for Roan, this drama eventually dissipated and left her career largely intact.
In the following years, Roan reappeared in various controversies due to comments in interviews, posts, and outfits, yet none quite as serious as her recent scandal. On Mar. 21, ex-soccer player Jorginho Frello made an Instagram post claiming that one of Chappell Roan’s security guards acted in an “extremely aggressive manner” towards his wife and stepdaughter. Apparently, Jorginho, his wife, and his stepdaughter were staying at a hotel in São Paulo, Brazil where, according to Cosmopolitan, Roan happened to be performing. While having breakfast at their hotel, Jorgino’s daughter noticed the celebrity was also dining at a nearby table and walked by to get a closer look. After returning to her seat, one of Roan’s security guards allegedly came to her table and verbally abused her and her mother.
Image of Jorginho Frello and his family, credits to People
On the day of Jorghino’s post, Eduardo Cavaliere, the mayor of Rio De Janeiro, entered the fray, making a post that stated, “As long as I’m in charge of our city--this young lady (Chappell Roan)…will never perform at Todo Mundo No Rio!” He strongly showed his support for the family, adding that he believed Shakira would never do such a thing. On Mar. 22, Roan made a response of her own on Instagram. She claimed that the security guard was not her own and that she “didn’t even see a woman and a child.” With no proof of what actually happened, it was her word against theirs. Many spectators of the situation aligned themselves with Jorghino and his family and bashed Roan for casually filming her explanation video in her bed. Accusations of apathy towards fans resurfaced and many felt that her “mean girl persona” had bled into blatant disrespect. She was compared to other celebrities, such as Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga, who have handled fans, security guards, and paparazzi very differently throughout their careers. Despite this, a plethora of fans continued to support and defend her, arguing that the whole situation had been blown out of proportion. Her fanbase seems to be weathering the drama as well as it can, but it may be that her public appearance is never the same.
Chappell Roan's career, which began heated, will likely end in the same fiery inferno. Whether the musician will step down on her own accord or have her career imploded by another controversy remains up in the air. What can be said is that Roan does not seem to be willing to change her behavior to cool down public opinion. The masses can either give her their support or not-- Chappell isn’t changing for anyone.
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