By Olivia McGuire
Chappell Roan, a new pop superstar with billboard hits like “Good Luck, Babe!” and “Pink Pony Club,” is nothing close to the small artist she used to be. Since the debut of her first album, The Rise and Fall of the Midwest Princess, Roan has gained 44 million monthly Spotify listeners and worldwide fame. Roan has become what she might call a “Femininomenon,” selling out a European tour and making her festival debut at Coachella 2024. This past year, Roan has infiltrated the hearts and streaming apps of millions, but how has this newfound fame affected her?
On August 19th, Roan posted a video to her TikTok account speaking out about what she has had to endure since her rise to stardom. In this video, she asks the audience if they “would you go up to a random lady and say, ‘Can I get a photo with you?’ ” Most people probably wouldn’t, given that it’s not normal to go around taking selfies with random strangers you meet on the street. So then why do people think it’s okay to go up to a famous person, who, despite being famous, is still a stranger, and ask them? And on top of that, why do people think it’s justifiable to get angry if that person declines? She continues her video saying “I don’t care that abuse and harassment, stalking whatever, is a normal thing to do to people who are famous.” She ends her video with the line, “I’m allowed to say ‘no’ to creepy behavior.”
This video was met with lots of unexpected controversy. Instead of supporting Roan, fans have taken to calling her ungrateful and not fit for fame. Of course, not all fans are like this. Many are understanding and supportive of the boundaries she sets in this video, but the number of people against her is alarming. Artists, while not performing, do not owe you anything. In an Instagram post Roan posted later that week, she writes, “Please don’t assume you know a lot about someone’s life, personality, and boundaries because you are familiar with them or their work online.” Chappell Roan is a performer; it is her job. When she is not performing, she is off duty. She is just a woman going about her life, and people should not have the audacity to think that they are deserving of her time and attention.
This goes not just for Chappell Roan, but for all celebrities out there. Artists such as Taylor Swift and Harry Styles can not leave their homes without being swarmed by paparazzi and constantly pestered by unrelenting fans. Fan behavior has been completely out of control for a long time now, but Chappell Roan is just the first to call it out. This doesn’t mean that you have to hide if you ever see your favorite celebrity out in public, but you have to be respectful. You can ask nicely for a picture, but you must be accepting if they say no, because really, they don’t owe you anything. And if someone such as Chappell Roan has clear boundaries, it is just basic human decency to respect them.