Q&A: Rhinestoned Cowgirl Chappell Roan is Ready to Embrace Her Inner Child on Debut Album ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess’
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A SMALL-TOWN MIDWESTERN PRINCESS — unleashes the creative expression of her inner youth and gets to use as much glitter and rhinestones as she wants? Meet Chappell Roan, your new favorite red-headed queer pop diva.
After successful singles such as “Pink Pony Club” and “HOT TO GO!” and opening for artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Fletcher, Roan is ready to tell her stories of triumph and pain through a mix of raw acoustic ballads and plenty of upbeat dance pop. Her recent debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, out today, follows Roan’s creative thought process through love, heartbreak, and the journey that comes along with queer identity and expression.
Hailing from Willard, Missouri, Roan describes the area as your average Midwestern town, complete with its own Bass Pro Shop and small-town values, as featured in the music video for her newest single, “HOT TO GO!”
“I wanted the campiness of my small Route 66 hometown,” Roan explained on the recent music video. “I just wanted my grandparents in it, I wanted bizarre outfits, and I especially wanted to show the character of Chappell in my hometown as the epicenter of the Midwestern theme.”
What comes with being raised in a small town like Willard can repress your ability to express your true self, especially when it comes to queerness, according to Roan.
“I was so scared to be myself because I felt so restricted where I came from, especially with my religious upbringing and the gender roles that I was taught,” Roan shared. “There was a very small queer community that was not amplified. I didn’t know a single gay girl at my school.”
She added, “There [are] so many things in the Midwest that you’re told you can and can’t be. I feel like I’m finally honoring my inner child with this new record, which I’ve never done before. I’m shining a light on the younger Kayleigh in me who loved Britney [Spears], who loved dressing up, who loved ‘Bad Romance’ and the Katy Perry movie.”
With The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, fans can expect honesty and boldness through raw lyrics and guitar solos galore. Roan wants her fans to know that it’s okay to have fun and be silly when it comes to creative expression and music.
“Prepare yourself to be silly and don’t take it so seriously,” she said. “Express yourself and allow yourself to feel goofy and fun.”
At the forefront of her platform, Roan aims to amplify queer voices and create a safe and welcoming space at all of her live performances and tour stops. “Having a voice that is supported by other queer people just like me, even if they’re just someone who’s pushing through as a queer person, is amazing,” Roan began. “I don’t expect other queer artists to do the same as me, but I try to make my art queer — my tour crew is mostly queer, I work with queer directors, I have drag queens open for each of my headline shows.”
Roan’s idea of inviting three local drag queens to open at each of her tour stops was inspired by country artist Orville Peck.
“I saw him perform in West Hollywood, and he had this drag queen named Meatball open for him,” she said. “Meatball ended up being in the ‘Pink Pony Club’ music video and I told myself back then that I was going to have local drag queens open for all of my headlining shows, and now I do. Drag has inspired the project when it comes to styling, makeup, performances, the music videos; the energy around each show, even the writing. Campiness is at the forefront of the project, which is also the forefront of drag.”
In addition to her debut record, Roan is hitting the road once again for her The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess tour, as she travels across the US, UK, and Australia beginning on Sept. 25. She’ll also be opening for Rodrigo once again on select dates for the GUTS Tour.
“I’m on a bus for the first time in my life. I’ve been waiting for this moment for almost 10 years,” Roan gushed when asked about going on tour again. “I’m looking forward to performing the entire album. We’re going song by song. These songs have been in the vault for years. I’m so excited to expel that energy and hear the crowd singing ‘Kaleidoscope,’ ‘Red Wine Supernova,’ or even ‘HOT TO GO!’”
Another unique opportunity fans get to experience in the Chappell Roan universe include outfit themes for each tour stop.
“I’ve always wanted to have themes for my performances,” she began. “I love dressing up, and Halloween is the only day that people get to do that. There’s so many places in the country that only get to express themselves at Pride, or they just can’t at all. In ‘My Kink is Karma,’ I encourage people to just wear whatever makes you feel hot and sexy — maybe something that’s not appropriate for everyone else. The themes are an opportunity to dress up, and the show is not only on stage. It’s in line, it’s at the merch table, it’s next to you. It builds community, and I love it so much.”
The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is the perfect record to blast on your speakers, whether you’re getting ready for a night out, having a slumber party, or spending the night on crafts, according to Roan. Make sure to check out the album and catch her on her upcoming tour, beginning on Sept. 25.
