Chappell Roan Unleashes Her Pop Magic (She’s Got a Wand and a Rabbit!)
Chappell Roan graced NPR’s Tiny Desk this week, showcasing her talent in a stripped-down yet powerful manner.
Despite the acoustic setup, Roan maintained her signature maximalist edge, delivering a captivating performance. Accompanied by a seven-piece band, Roan presented a visually striking appearance with a mix of glamor and quirky details. While donning a fuchsia dress, a red wig, and a silver tiara, closer inspection revealed silver butterflies and cigarette butts in her hair. Her band members also embraced smeared makeup, hinting at a shared aesthetic. The group’s outfits appeared to reference the film But I’m a Cheerleader, with Roan’s dress resembling Natasha Lyonne’s and the band’s button-downs evoking the shirts worn in conversion therapy camp scenes.
Chappell Roan is truly our generations Jesus pic.twitter.com/o7lspMvVJa
— Chappell Roan Now (@ChappellRoanNow) March 22, 2024
Her performance perfectly embodies her femme camp pop persona, blending elaborate construction with playful irreverence. Opening with “Casual,” a song about lesbian relationships, Roan humorously dismisses the Super Bowl, declaring her performance as her own “Super Bowl” to the crowd’s delight. She jokes about the heat and her wig between songs, adding to the whimsical atmosphere. Encouraging the audience to embrace their inner “bimbos,” Roan exudes confidence and charm, marking her as a leader in the sapphic pop movement embraced by Gen Z.
reasons why i love chappell roan:
— a. (@xcowboygeniusx) March 21, 2024
• commitment to the aesthetic in a way we don't see anymore
• amazing vocals
• lyrics can be devastating or pure camp
• unapologetically flamboyant
• gay asf
• she's giving what no one else is giving
• icon behavior
Chappell Roan, born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, is an American singer and songwriter from the Midwest. Her music draws inspiration from 80s synth-pop and early 2000s hits and reflects a campy aesthetic influenced by drag queens.
Roan gained attention at 17 with her song “Die Young” on YouTube, which led Atlantic Records to sign her. In 2020, she released “Pink Pony Club,” which Vulture hailed as the “Song of Summer 2021.” Her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, dropped on September 22, 2023.
You can watch her NPR Tiny Desk performance here down below.
