In April 2024 there was a cosmic shift; one which felt camp, queer, and like fate falling into place – the universe gifted us a new popstar, one who felt desperately needed and pivotal. Singer-songwriter and drag queen Chappell Roan (don’t call her Kayleigh!) took the Coachella Gobi stage 2 Saturdays in a row and created a musical force so gigantic that she went from a singer many knew for opening both of Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR and GUTS tours to a star in her own right. With her debut album’s singles releasing over the span of more than 3 years, from April 2020’s ‘Pink Pony Club’ to the album’s final single ‘HOT TO GO!’ in August 2023, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess evolved from a debut album years in the making to becoming one of this year’s most talked about albums by one of the most talked about musicians in the entire world.
For its 1 year anniversary, we’re looking back on both The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess and the journey Roan has embarked since its release – from small lowkey venues and clubs to her garnering one of the largest Lollapalooza crowds in history – all within 1 year.
All of The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess’ songs are produced by Roan’s longtime collaborator and friend, Dan Nigro (producer of both Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR and GUTS, with additional production work for Caroline Polachek, Sky Ferreira, and Conan Gray). Through Roan and Rodrigo’s bodies of work, it’s now evident that Nigro is one of the best producers right now and a pivotal figure in both current pop production and helping usher through the next generation of popstars.
When Roan initially released her debut album, she was receiving moderate attention and streams from her then small yet fiercely loyal fanbase. Now, after opening for Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR Tour, post Coachella virality (thanks to her soaring vocals in the ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ bridge and her direct messages to camera), a skyrocket to fame, and a 500 percent rise in streams alone between February and April, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess now has over 1 and a half billion streams on Spotify alone, with Roan holding a position around the 60th most streamed artist spot on Spotify. With an average of 45 million monthly listeners on Spotify, it’s an unfathomable rise from less than 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify back in September last year when the album released. After not initially charting upon initial release, the album has now gone gold here in New Zealand, reaching #1 on the charts, and has reached #2 on the Billboard charts.
With the album’s The Midwest Princess Tour still currently ongoing with its 6th and final leg, despite having begun in September 2023 in her home-state of Missouri to coincide with the album’s release, Roan’s newfound success has seen her able to upgrade her once smaller venues to breaking crowd attendance records at festivals, such as Lollapalooza and Governor’s Ball, to playing at the VMAs and winning her first VMA for Best New Artist. It’s a rare trajectory to witness, one which moves at the speed of light, and now Roan will have to bid adieu to smaller venues and clubs and swap them out for arenas. The heart of the Chappell Roan project is most alive at her concerts, with local drag queens opening for her and audience costume themes to follow which change for each individual show. Once an intimate gathering of her fans in smaller venues, the heart of the project has expanded to arenas and headlining festivals across the world – yet it’ll never take away from the feeling of connection between true fans and Roan.
After Roan’s Coachella performance in April, many of the songs on The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess have gained a new life from when the album initially released September 2023. The album’s 6th single ‘Casual’ had been steadily gaining traction on TikTok earlier this year during Roan’s GUTS Tour opening set – mainly due to its explicit lyrics which touch on lesbian relationships (or lack thereof). The album’s ninth and final single ‘HOT TO GO!’ had a viral moment too, both online (TikTok) and IRL, through Roan teaching the song’s music video dance to each audience she performs for. A modern queer dance for the culture à la Village People’s ‘YMCA’, ‘HOT TO GO!’ has nearly reached 300 million streams on Spotify and is now her second most popular song. ‘My Kink Is Karma’, ‘Pink Pony Club’, and ‘Red Wine Supernova’ have all had major surges in both streams and cultural relevance – and that is barely touching the surface on the gravity of Roan’s newfound impact and worldwide stardom. At this point, each song from the album is its own individual star.
Obvious and expected comparisons to some of Roan’s idols such as Lady Gaga and Kate Bush have been made, yet what’s most obvious is how Roan isn’t the next of an already pre-existing pop icon or musician; she’s the popstar princess from the Midwest and she’s in her own calibre. On a surface level, Roan is highly camp and all sequins and sparkles, yet underneath she’s a drag queen with niche onstage costume references to queer cinema, such as the Club Kids in Party Monster (2003) and Divine (one of the most important drag queens of all time) in John Waters’ Pink Flamingos (1972). More looks of hers whilst touring this album cycle include glam-camp depictions of Odette/Odile from the ballet Swan Lake, being painted green as the Statue of Liberty, a wrestler, and most recently her Joan of Arc VMAs look (which people have coined Roan of Arc). Her ability to dive deep into the culture she belongs to, thus sprinkling it to the wider zeitgeist, isn’t just a reason for her obvious longevity, but also reinforces the importance and necessity of having a popstar like Roan. It’s as simple as having accurate and fair representation of queer people in the mainstream of everything.
Looking outside of the album since its release and the ongoing rise of Roan’s career trajectory, she’s been a talking point within and outside of pop culture in all corners of the world. From her larger-than-life stage presence, to her creating personal boundaries to protect herself and those closest to her, releasing her latest single ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ to critical acclaim, and becoming a ‘hot topic’ has been a complex whirlwind for Roan. To help her settle into this new level of fame, peers and musicians have been reaching out to her as a way to comfort and help Roan with their knowledge, such as Lady Gaga giving Roan her phone number and both Mitski and Lorde giving Roan sound advice on the sometimes harsh realities of being a public figure. Roan recently told The Face Magazine that Lorde sent her a list of suggestions she wished someone would’ve told her after her success post ‘Royals’ and Pure Heroine.
The world finally having a lesbian pop superstar at such a distinguished level in 2024 is, to understate it, overdue and desperately welcome. Having representation like Roan will hopefully become the rule, not an exception. If the past year of Roan’s career proves anything, it’s that she’s not only an artist to watch but one who has the possibility of truly ushering the music industry into a new era of healthy boundaries, positive morals, and progressive change. Wherever Chappell Roan decides to take her career next, whether that’s by releasing a new body of work, going on hiatus to protect her peace, and/or winning more accolades; she’s a force of queerness, camp, and genuine authenticity who has the world at her fingertips, making all she touches sparkle like rhinestones forever.
Listen to The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess below!
https://open.spotify.com/album/0EiI8ylL0FmWWpgHVTsZjZ?si=_7qW7HyBRseIXmYEfX2piQ
