Chronology of Chappell Roan's ascent to fame
But Roan wasn't churned out as a fully-fledged celebrity from the pop-music factory in 2024. Her journey to stardom has been a gradual ascent, hindered by the pandemic and issues with her label, spanning over a decade. Interestingly enough, the past six months of her career have witnessed unprecedented success.
Leading up to Roan's performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, a platform renowned for launching icons like Madonna, Britney Spears, and Beyonce_, let's revisit Roan's evolution from a Missouri teenage musician to one of pop's most promising newcomers last decade.
The emergence of Chappell Roan, 2014 - 2015
Hailing from Willard, Missouri, Chappell Roan never truly fit into the Midwestern landscape. However, it has influenced the artist she became in close-knit ways.
"I've always desired to connect my project with this place, for some reason," she remarks in a 2023 mini-doc ahead of her debut album's release. "I have to pay respect to the place that raised me, no matter how I feel about it. This place will always be a part of me—it's unavoidable."
She began performing in school talent shows and local events before taking music seriously as a teenager.
November 2014: Roan's first solo EP, under her given name, Kayleigh Rose, premieres. She is only 16.
Two admirers appraise her work in a 2015 installment of "The Vault," a Missouri-based music podcast. When they headed to their local music store to buy the album, Roan's mother was present, selling some of her CDs. Before long, every copy of the album was acquired, the podcast hosts reveal.
"They sold out that quickly—that should tell you how talented this girl is," one of the hosts declares.
Four songs grace the debut EP, but the hosts commend the gritty texture and subtly smoky quality of her voice.
November 5, 2014: Australian pop sensation, Troye Sivan, endorses one of Roan's original songs, "Die Young."
"I've had (this) 16-year-old girl on repeat for two months," Sivan tweets. "You have to listen to this, guys! Give it a go and shower her with love!"
Sivan's backing is significant as he too began on YouTube before securing a record deal.
May 2015: Roan is inked to Atlantic Records shortly following her 17th birthday. She subsequently adopted the stage name, Chappell Roan, named after her late grandfather's moniker.
"People asked if I had a backup plan," she says in a 2017 short documentary. "He never asked. He simply knew I could pull it off."
In the following text, I will not add any personal comments or additional information. I will only paraphrase the provided text and maintain its original length, formatting, and tone.
But Roan didn’t burst onto the music scene fully formed as a star in 2024. Her ascent to fame has been a gradual climb, marred by the pandemic and troubles with her record label, spanning over a decade. It just so happens that her career’s final six months have been meteoric.
Prepare to join Roan on her path to the MTV Video Music Awards stage, once a launchpad for stars like Madonna, Britney Spears, and Beyoncé. Let’s explore Roan’s transformation from Missouri high school musician to one of pop music’s most buzzworthy new artists in the last few years.
The beginnings of Chappell Roan, 2014 - 2015
Chappell Roan hails from Willard, Missouri, a place where she never really felt at home among the Midwestern crowd. However, this hometown has left an indelible mark on the artist she became.
"I've always felt the need to reference this place in my project, for some reason," she states in a 2023 documentary ahead of the release of her first album. "I owe this place that raised me, no matter how I feel about it. It's always going to be a part of me, no matter what."
She began entertaining school talent shows and local events before taking music more seriously as a teenager.
November 2014: Roan’s self-titled EP, released under her birth name, Kayleigh Rose, drops. She is just 16.
Two fans appraise her work in a 2015 episode of "The Vault," a Missouri-based podcast. When they visited their local record store to purchase the album, Roan’s mother happened to be selling some of her CDs. Within moments, every copy of the album had been snapped up, the podcast hosts announced.
"They sold out that quickly—that should tell you how talented this girl is," one of the hosts concludes.
The debut EP has only four tracks, yet the hosts are impressed by the raw texture and subtly smoky quality of her voice.
November 5, 2014: Australian pop star Troye Sivan shouts out one of Roan’s original songs, "Die Young."
"I've had (this) 16-year-old girl on repeat for two months," Sivan tweets. "You have to listen to this, guys! Share the love, for sure!"
Sivan's support is essential as he too began on YouTube before securing a record deal.
May 2015: Roan is agreed upon by Atlantic Records shortly after turning 17. It's then that she adopts the stage name Chappell Roan—her late grandfather's name was Chappell.
"People would always ask about a contingency plan," she says in a short documentary in 2017. "He never asked. He simply believed in me."
2021: TikTok transforms into Roan's artistic playground. She shares covers, endorses her unique tunes, and posts amusing clips of her guinea pig donning a fedora. She even previews snippets from fresh compositions, including lines from what will later evolve into "Naked in Manhattan City."
March 2022: Roan seals a publishing pact with Sony, enabling her to unveil new tunes such as "Naked in Manhattan City," "Casually Yours," and "Femininomenon," all scheduled for her debut LP. She embarks on concert tours with Olivia Rodrigo in May and Fletcher in October, serving as their opening act. Around this period, she also signs a deal with Nigro's label, Amusement Records, under the umbrella of Island Records.
However, between these tours, she hails her first solo shows in Los Angeles and New York.
February 2023: Roan embarks on her inaugural headline tour, "Naked in North America," with each date sold out.
June 12, 2023: A drag queen emerges. Roan prepares to take the stage in London, dressing up elegantly alongside a drag performer named Crayola, who warms up the audience for her.
“Darling, you are a drag queen,” Crayola informed Roan, as the pop star recounts.
Roan reveals that this encounter triggered something within her. “I've truly embraced that identity,” she admits to Power. “It's been incredibly liberating to consider ‘Chappell Roan’ as my drag persona.”
September 22, 2023: "The Rise and Fall of a Heartland Principessa" debuts, marking six years since Roan first released her EP as Chappell Roan. It’s lively, emotional, and unashamedly queer — and it feels like Roan's most authentic artistic declaration. The album receives rave reviews and features on several year-end best-of lists, including Rolling Stone's. The publication hails her debut LP as a "wildly audacious, incredibly catchy rollercoaster ride through sexual and personal awakenings."
“All I desired was to create something that I could delight in and that others could also enjoy,” she tells Jimmy Fallon in 2024. “Something that I would never grow tired or disinterested in performing.”
Roan’s breakout year, 2024
March 21, 2024: Roan leaves an indelible mark on NPR’s Tiny Desk, adorning a clown-faced prom queen's outfit, complete with cigarettes embedded in her wig and lipstick smeared on her teeth. Across her five-song set, Roan delivers heartbreaking melodies from “Principessa Midwestern” in a performance that NPR asserts “has forever transformed the Tiny Desk.”
April 5, 2024: Roan's new phase commences with “Good Luck, Darling!” an ‘80s-inspired track that sees her channel Kate Bush over a dramatic bridge. Her vocal range is nothing short of extraordinary: She belts out the verses and sings falsetto over the chorus, mirroring the celestial highs and infernal lows of loving a woman who is commitment-phobic.
April 12, 2024: Coachella extends an invitation to Roan, and she responds with aplomb. She arrives for her debut set in latex and her trademark white clown mask. When it's time for “Good Luck, Darling!”, she performs the emotional bridge directly to the camera broadcasting the show. The viral live-streamed performance is later taken down due to copyright issues, but it leaves a lasting impression.
June 2024: At some point in the early summer, “HOT TO GO!” becomes ubiquitous. Roan continues her tour across the country to larger audiences, and they quickly learn the accompanying dance for the song.
June 10, 2024: Roan portrays Lady Liberty at New York's Governors Ball festival, dressed in green and emerging from a cracked red apple, sporting a tiny torch. She's gained notoriety for her imaginative onstage costumes, which have ranged from glittery cowgirl outfits to a Marie Antoinette-inspired gown and grand wig.
June 20, 2024: Roan performs “Good Luck, Darling!” and participates in a charmingly acerbic interview with Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show.” After Fallon reflects on his past challenges in Googling Roan's name, she retaliates with a deadpan, “Didn't you know who I was before?” She also acknowledges RuPaul's Drag Race champion Sasha Colby, from whom she draws inspiration.
August 1, 2024: Lollapalooza becomes Roan's personal celebration when she graces the stage at the Chicago festival, donning a vibrant, latex lucha libre-inspired outfit. Festival organizers later disclose to CNN that it likely represents the largest set ever at the festival, with up to 110,000 people in attendance.
August 19, 2024: After a steady climb on the Billboard charts, “Principessa Midwestern” secures the No. 2 spot on the 200 albums chart. As of the first week of September, the track has spent 23 weeks on the chart. Roan ranks as the 60th most popular artist on Spotify globally, boasting over 45 million monthly listeners.
On August 19th, Roan's rapid climb to fame starts to take its toll. She uploads two TikToks discussing unsettling fan encounters, such as individuals asking for photos and embraces, stalking her in public places, and even discovering her family's whereabouts.
"I don't give a damn if mistreatment, harassment, stalking, and so forth are common occurrences for famous individuals, no matter how minimally famous they may be," she declares in one video. "I have the right to reject inappropriate behavior, understand?"
Although a substantial number of fans endorse her stance, she encounters criticism from others who believe they played a role in her rise to fame by promulgating her music or attending her concerts.
She takes to social media to articulate her views further, affirming her commitment to her job as a musician and her adoration for her fans. However, she emphasizes that she will not tolerate any form of harassment, regardless of the path she has chosen.
On September 11, 2024, Roan will make her debut at the Video Music Awards. There's immense enthusiasm for her VMAs debut, as similar milestones helped catapult the careers of musical icons like Madonna, whose provocative performance of "Like a Virgin" or Lady Gaga's startling, blood-speckled interpretation of "Paparazzi" were defining moments. Although Roan has undeniably been influenced by these pioneers, she has successfully carved out her unique niche.
Following her signing to Atlantic Records in May 2015, Chappell Roan began to gain traction in the music industry.
Royally supported by Australian pop sensation Troye Sivan in November 2014, Roan's music resonated with listeners, further propelling her career.
