How Chappell Roan played the long game

The hard-won queer joy of the breakout artist, explained. vox.com/culture CULTURE   Fourth of July week is always a good time to do some reflecting on America, and this year has given us no shortage of material. If you’re looking for a break from fretting about [the state of things in the political world](, I recommend spending some time with Chappell Roan’s breakout album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. If you’ve been [hearing the 26-year-old pop artist’s name everywhere](, it’s probably because she has a story that is familiar to our national canon: moving from Missouri to the big city, taking a chance on herself, coming into her own (and coming out), and making it big despite heartbreak and rejection. What’s more American than that? —[Melinda Fakuade](//link.vox.com/click/35948318.25469/aHR0cHM6Ly94LmNvbS9jb25zdGFuY2VncmFkeT91ZWlkPTNhNTA3ZmY1ZmYzNzViYTNjYWU5MjFkMzUzMTNiN2Nk/6094319a7418d377a33af3d5C12624ab0, & features editor Chappell Roan spent 7 years becoming an overnight success [a photo of Chappell Roan performing on stage in drag with pink light coming from behind her]( Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images It’s undeniable: the era of Chappell Roan is upon us. At music festivals and on the lists forecasting pop’s next big thing, there she is: big red hair and big powerhouse voice, unapologetically queer lyrics and exuberant drag queen aesthetic. This is the summer [Chappell Roan became impossible to ignore.]( Roan has been a working pop artist for years. Now 26, she signed her first record deal with Atlantic Records at 17 and has been putting out songs ever since — but for a long time, none of them seemed to quite hit. Last September, though, Roan released her first full album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, and set off on tour as Olivia Rodrigo’s opener. In March, her appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series went surprisingly viral (3.4 million views and counting), sending her Spotify monthly listeners count rocketing up by 500 percent. In April, she became one of the biggest stories out of Coachella. In June, she was the story of the Governor’s Ball. She’s been on Jimmy Fallon. She’s performed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. She is currently in the process of crossing the border that separates “working pop artist” and “pop star.” One of the things that makes Roan’s story so compelling is how long it took her to get here and what a strikingly different artist and performer she was at the beginning of the journey. Today, a Chappell Roan show plays like a joyous drag ball. A few years ago, Roan was making broody Lorde-meets-Florence Welch power ballads about suffering deliciously for the love of a boy. She pitched her voice deep and sang her lyrics in smooth, diphthonged cursive. In her videos, she wore her hair dark and straight. [Roan’s trajectory from there to here reveals a lot about why, exactly, she’s taking off so precipitously right now.]( It’s the story of coming of age, both artistically and personally, at exactly the right time and place. [Read the full story »]( Diljit Dosanjh is one of India’s biggest stars. Now he’s taking on America. The musician is packing arenas and performing on The Tonight Show. [Read the full story »]( Food is no longer a main character on The Bear Every dish is beautiful and no one is hungry. [Read the full story »](   [Become a Vox Member]( Support our journalism — become a Vox Member and you’ll get exclusive access to the newsroom with members-only perks including newsletters, bonus podcasts and videos, and more. [Join our community](   More good stuff to read today - [The Spotify conspiracy theories about “Espresso,” explained]( - [TikTok is full of bad health “tricks”]( - [Delete your dating apps and find romance offline]( - [I’m pregnant. I’m traveling. I’m terrified.]( - [How dangerous is it really to have a baby in America?]( - [What about Kamala?](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( Manage your [email preferences]( or [unsubscribe](param=culture). If you value Vox’s unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring [contribution](. View our [Privacy Policy]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved.