Fashion / Style

Who is Chappell Roan, music’s new Midwest Princess?

WORDS Cassandra Dimitroff    PHOTOGRAPHY via Instagram    PUBLISHED Thu, 20 Jun 2024 - 9:00 am

For those not chronically online, this is a service announcement: you should get to know musician Chappell Roan.

The American singer may only have released her debut album in September last year, but in the last few months she's gone from Midwest Pricess to megawatt pop star – amassing crowds larger than headliners at festivals like Bonnaroo and Gov Ball, and experiencing the kind of fast-paced popularity boom fans have likened only to singers like Lady Gaga or Billie Eilish.

If you're still unfamiliar with her music or show-stopping looks, we're giving you the low-down below...

 

Who is Chappell Roan?

Chappell Roan (whose real name is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz) is a 26-year-old American singer originally hailing from the small town of Willard, Missouri .

Roan first caught the internet's attention back in 2015 when, aged just 17, she uploaded an original song, Die Young, to YouTube, and was promptly signed to Atlantic Records. After releasing her debut EP, School Nights and her 2020 single Pink Pony Club, she was dropped by her label in 2020.

After a short break and some independent releases, Roan released The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, her debut album through Island Records in 2023, (which the RUSSH team has been bumping non-stop in April) as well as supporting Olivia Rodrigo's 'Guts' world tour and performing at Coachella in early 2024.

 

What is her star sign?

Chappell Roan's birthday is 19 February 1998, a date that lands right on the cusp of Aquarius and Pisces. She certainly embodies all the creativity of both signs, the emotional vulnerability of the Piscean and the zany confidence of an Aquarian.

 

How do you pronounce Chappell Roan?

Have you been saying Chappell's name wrong? To save you the embarrassment, or in case you were confused, her name is pronounced CHA-PULL (like the word 'chapel') RONE (rhymes with 'bone').

 

On her music ...

Roan's music is camp, glittery, irreverent and dark while still being thoroughly 'pop'. There are definitely 80s and 90s inspired melodies at play – in an interview with Rolling Stone earlier this year, she mentioned wanting to dabble with organic, 90s-inspired pop-rock in her sound – but she's definitely not looking to recreate anything from the past.

If you haven't already heard her hit songs HOT-TO-GO, Red Wine Supernova, or her most recent hit single Good Luck, Babe! then we suggest you get listening...

 

On her style ...

Roan's performance-wear is loud and camp, playing on elements of drag and Midwestern motifs to pull together a style that's distinctly her own. From gauche prom dresses to football uniforms to sparkly marching-band-esque, star-spangled get-ups –  there's never a dull moment in her on-stage uniforms. Of course, there are enough rhinestone cowboy hats and leotards to make Dolly Parton envious too.

The musician also loves a theme – often donning campy costumes that reflect show locations or advising her fans to dress up in outfits inspired by her songs, going as far as assigning each city she stops at a specific tune.

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Feature images: one, two.

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