If you’ve been on TikTok or any other social media site recently, chances are you’ve run into a video about pop star Chappell Roan or a video that contains one of her songs.
Her album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” is currently trending on TikTok despite it being released back in September of 2023.
So, who is Chappell Roan?
Roan’s real name is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz. She found inspiration for her stage name from her late grandfather by using his last name of Chappell and his favorite song “The Strawberry Roan.” Her stage persona of Chappell Roan also pays homage to drag culture.
Originally from Missouri, Roan has a love-hate relationship with the state and has expressed those feelings in several of her songs and interviews.
“There’s this push and pull between like loving Missouri for what it is and then like wanting to leave there so badly because I feel not accepted and just misunderstood because of queerness or like just being like a sexual artist,” Roan said in an interview with the Kansas City Star.
Roan first gained popularity with the release of “Die Young” and her “School Nights” EP in 2017 and subsequently signed a record deal with Atlantic Records — which was eventually lost.
She has released several songs since then such as a currently trending song “Casual” — despite being released in 2022 — with its suggestive “Knee deep in the passenger seat” lyrics captivating audiences.
Roan found herself gaining popularity on TikTok but disliked the app.
“It just was really difficult for me to learn how to express myself on TikTok in a way that didn’t feel like I was just dead inside, because I think most artists feel like social media is soul-sucking for art,” Roan said in an interview with People.
“The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” was released last September with 14 tracks to the album. “Pink Pony Club” and “Casual” were among the other released songs.
“I think people like to party and I think my project feels like a party. I think that people just want to be happy and reflect, sing, dance and dress up, and feel free. The project gives people an opportunity to express themselves without judgment and freedom to discover themselves in the same way that I feel like the project allows me to discover myself,” Roan said.
Her popularity spiked again in 2024 with her opening for Olivia Rodrigo on her Guts World Tour, and a video started trending of the pair kissing on the last tour date Roan opened for her.
Along with this, Roan was a guest on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert where she performed “Casual,” “Pink Pony Club,” “Picture You,” “California” and “Red Wine Supernova.”
Roan released a new single “Good Luck, Babe!” on April 5.
