For anyone who keeps up to date with the pop music scene, Chappell Roan is a name sure to be thrown around these days — and for good reason.
Kayleigh Asmutz — the 26-year-old singer/songwriter better known by her stage name, Chappell Roan — is making waves for her revival of pure pop music with her catchy hits, camp aesthetics and iconic voice.
Many people may have first heard the name on TikTok, from one of her numerous songs that have blown up on the app, such as “Casual,” “Femininomenon” or “Red Wine Supernova.” Others may have discovered her while she opened for Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS tour from the end of February up until her final show on April 2.
Fresh off this exciting growth in fame, the singer gave her first performance at Coachella on April 12 to a packed crowd full of eager fans, dying to see her on stage. Although it was her first appearance at the festival, she was a huge hit with her magnetic stage presence, and even had the crowd mimicking her dance moves for the song, “HOT TO GO!”
Despite this recent rise in popularity, many die-hard fans know that Roan is not new to the music industry. The artist has been releasing music for a solid seven years since her first EP “School Nights” came out in 2017.
This earlier music is much slower and more lowkey, showing a much different side to Roan’s vocals than her more current tracks. The upbeat sound she seems to be known for today can start to be heard in some later singles like “Love Me Anyway,” released in 2020, and “Pink Pony Club,” released in 2022. These tracks lead up to her first full album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” which was released on Sept. 22, 2023.
As she’s developed her sound over the past few years, Roan has garnered something of a cult following with her stunning vocals and unique fashion.
She’s sure to draw in listeners with not only her voice but her iconic style, whether she’s wearing a hot pink prom dress with a towering wig filled with fake cigarettes for her NPR Tiny Desk performance or adorned in bows and lace like a reborn Marie Antoinette for a performance of “Red Wine Supernova” on The Late Show with Steven Colbert.
Her music is reminiscent of pop-princesses of the eighties, such as Cyndi Lauper and Madonna, which is what seems to make her music so addictive. As she continues to release more hit songs and be discovered by more fans, Chappell Roan is a natural star who deserves to stay in the spotlight for years to come.
