“Good Luck, Babe!” is a song that has taken TikTok and Gen Z by storm. The artist, Chappell Roan – real name Kayleigh Amstutz – is professionally known by her stage name. Influenced by 1980s synth-pop and early 2000s pop hits, as well as drag queens and queer culture, Roan’s influence is different from most, according to thepenn.org.
The single, “Good Luck, Babe!” released on April 5, 2024, skyrocketed to the Billboard 100 during the summer and earned her sold-out shows nationwide. Junior Lila Edwards says “Good Luck Babe was the song that first opened my eyes about Chappell.” However, Roan is not a new artist; she has had a career for over a decade and an online presence for a while. Chappell’s album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, has been out since September 22, 2023 – over a year, yet some of her songs such as “Pink Pony Club” and “HOT TO GO” have just recently become popular in the last couple of months. Senior Katie Jones says “The song that first introduced me to Chappell Roan was “Pink Pony Club.””
Roan started singing as a teenager and signed a record deal with Atlantic Records at 17. She adopted her stage name, Chappell Roan, in honor of her grandfather Dennis Chappell, whose favorite song was “The Strawberry Roan” by Marty Robbins. Her first album was released in 2017, when she was, in the singer’s own words, in a “witchy, dark, serious” phase.
Roan moved from Missouri to Los Angeles, which would inspire her album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, and the song “Pink Pony Club.” However, the song didn’t make profits when it was first released and Roan was dropped from her record company. During the pandemic, she rebranded herself as an independent artist until she met producer and songwriter Daniel Nigro and started producing songs that would later be featured on The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, according to biography.com. Out of these songs, Jones says her favorite is “Naked in Manhattan,” which is about a blooming queer relationship between friends set in New York. Edwards says “Chappell produces these fun upbeat songs and I really got into their vibe over summer.”
In early 2023, she started her “Naked” tour in North America; during this time, she embraced her drag persona and gained a following from other drag queens who would come to her show. In September of the same year, she released her second album. Edwards says, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is my favorite album right now and the only thing I’ve been listening to.” This album is about Roan’s experience leaving her hometown for Los Angeles to pursue a career as a singer, as well as her journey of self-discovery, love, heartbreak, and embracing of her sexual identity. Jones says, “Her music is unique while being super fun and uplifting,” as well as that she “ knows how to stand up for herself and what she believes in.”
Later that year, she would sign with Nigro’s Amusement Records, an imprint of Island Records, due to the album becoming too popular for an independent artist. In April 2024, Roan had her biggest break when she performed for Coachella and blew up on social media, according to biography.com. She also went on tour as a celebration for The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess’s first anniversary, which has also gained traction among new and old fans. She also began promoting the album by appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concerts.
However, Roan has also been sparking controversy between fans and the public. She has spoken out on her social media against fans’ “creepy” behavior, including stalking and harassment, and people blurring the lines between her public stage name, Chappell Roan, and her private personal name and life; she wishes the two to stay separate and not mix, as she said in a post on her Instagram.
Roan has stated that she doesn’t owe fans her time or attention and that she doesn’t agree that harassment is a part of being a celebrity. These statements have sparked disagreements among her fans if these rules are fair or not. Jones believes that “she most likely didn’t have the notion she was going to blow up as an artist, and I think it shows that she is not one for giant overwhelming crowds – but honestly, who is? l think she should be able to set her boundaries.” The senior continues that stars, “have to be stern sometimes, especially with crazy fans.”
Roan has also said that she feels unsafe due to fan behavior and that she has had to deal with scary stalking incidents in the past, such as fans breaking into her hotel rooms and being arrested outside of her house. The singer has said, “Online platforms have made it easier for fans to feel like they know celebrities personally.” Edwards speaks on the topic by saying “I think it’s good [that] she [is] setting boundaries and standing up for what she believes in,” adding “It’s true that celebrities have to put up with a lot of stuff without saying anything.”
