Proof Chappell Roan Is a Real Feminomenon

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Chappell Roan isn’t just a star—she’s a supernova.

She’s continuing to show that despite the huge success of her 2023 album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, she has even bigger things planned and is only at the beginning of her career.

Just a year after winning the Best New Artist Grammy in 2025 (where she was nominated for six awards total), the singer behind “Pink Pony Club” is back at the Grammys as a nominee again. This time, at the 2026 ceremony on February 1st, Chappell is competing for two major awards—Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance—thanks to her emotional ballad “Subway,” which came out last summer.

Chappell’s sudden rise to fame might be surprising, but she’s actually been creating music since her teenage years in Tennessee. She first signed a record deal with Atlantic Records while still in high school and released her first EP in 2017. Unfortunately, the label dropped her during the pandemic, which set her career back.

Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, known as Chappell, shared a painful memory while accepting an award at the 2025 Grammy Awards.

She explained that she started her career as a young performer and, after being let go, had no prior work experience. Like many others, she struggled to find employment during the pandemic and couldn’t afford health insurance. This was incredibly upsetting, as she was deeply dedicated to her craft but felt let down by the industry. Being without health insurance made her feel like her worth as a person was disregarded.

Chappell quickly followed up past work with her September 2023 album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. In 2024, the album gained significant popularity, especially after the release of her confident single, “Good Luck, Babe!”. This propelled Chappell from an independent artist to a major musical force. Her songs, including the popular tracks “HOT TO GO!” and “Red Wine Supernova,” became instant hits, and Chappell herself was surprised by how quickly she rose to fame.

Chappell quickly followed up past successes with her September 2023 album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. In 2024, the album gained significant popularity, especially after the release of her confident single, “Good Luck, Babe!” This propelled Chappell from an independent artist to a major musical force. Songs like “HOT TO GO!” and “Red Wine Supernova” became instant hits, and Chappell herself was surprised by how quickly she rose to fame.

She remembered telling Rolling Stone in 2024 that she was initially in disbelief when her follower count began to soar, gaining almost 100,000 new followers each day. When presented with the numbers, she would simply deny they were accurate and couldn’t bring herself to admit she was becoming successful.

Now that Chappell has embraced her fame, she understands she also needs to work at keeping it.

She said it was her dream job, but also admitted it was a little scary because she wasn’t sure if she’d ever have an opportunity like it again.

While Chappell put out two songs in 2025, including her popular country track “The Giver,” it doesn’t seem like she has plans for a full album release in the near future.

In an August 2025 interview with Vogue, Chappell clarified that a second project is not currently in development. He stated, ‘There isn’t an album, and there aren’t even any songs yet.’

Chappell said it took five years to finish her first book, and she expects the next one will take at least as long. She doesn’t write quickly; she prefers to take her time with each book.

As we wait to see what Chappell does next, keep reading to learn more about the popstar.

Though it might seem sudden, Chappell Roan has actually been creating music for years, starting as a teenager in Missouri. She began by posting covers and her own songs on YouTube. Atlantic Records noticed her talent and signed her during her senior year of high school, but the moment didn’t feel as exciting as she’d imagined while walking the halls of Willard High.

I was so excited when they announced it over the school PA system! They congratulated me, Kayleigh Amstutz, for signing with Atlantic Records, and then added that we were all getting pizza for lunch. It was such a fun and unexpected moment!

Your favorite artist’s favorite artist turned to her family when coming up with her alter ego.

Kayleigh Rose Amstutz was born on February 19, 1998, in Willard, Missouri. However, she’s said she never felt a strong connection to her birth name and chose a different stage name, drawing inspiration from the music her grandfather loved.

She explained to Cherwell in August 2022 that she adopted ‘Chappell’ as her surname to honor her grandfather, Dennis K. Chappell. She had promised him she would use the name before he passed away from brain cancer in 2016. Her first name, Roan, came from his beloved song, “Strawberry Roan,” a classic Western tune about a reddish-pink horse. She described the name as deeply meaningful to her.

Growing up, Chappell attended church multiple times a week, a ritual that made her feel trapped.

She explained to Variety in September 2023 that she struggled with conflicting desires. “I really wanted to be seen as a good person, but I also had a strong urge to break free and rebel,” she said. “I would sneak out often, yet still attend church three times a week. It was a constant battle between trying to be ‘good’ and wanting to completely lose control.”

The singer says she’s no longer closely involved with the church, but she still appreciates the values it taught her.

She told Vanity Fair in September 2023 that she’s no longer actively involved with the Christian Church, but she’s grateful for her time there. She feels she understands the beliefs and viewpoints of that community, and it gives her a unique perspective on complex issues that often leave others baffled.

This midwestern princess was almost a Mid-WED-stern princess.

In a TikTok video from July 2023, she shared that she’d come close to getting married twice, but didn’t offer any further details.

Although not much is known about her previous relationships, the singer of “Hot to Go” is known for publicly calling out her exes. Before performing her song “My Kink is Karma” at the 2024 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, she publicly criticized one of them.

She explained that the song was about her former partner, adding, ‘It’s strange to see you turn into the person you always criticized, while I’ve achieved everything I hoped for.’

And at a later performance she spoke directly to her ex’s new fiancé.

She explained the song was about her ex, who had been telling people at a bar back home that they used to date her. She added that it was also a message to her ex’s fiancé, urging them to end the relationship.

Chappell’s first album was initially going to be called Femininomenon, after one of her 2022 songs. But she changed the title because she thought it was too hard for people to say. She finally chose The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess to highlight her upbringing in the Midwest.

She told Variety that incorporating the Midwest into her work was crucial, as it deeply impacts everything from her music and style to her lyrics and overall vibe. She feels it’s important to stay true to her roots, something she worried she’d lost when she was younger, but now embraces.

The updated title more accurately reflects the album’s narrative – Chappell’s journey from her hometown in Missouri to chase her musical dreams in Los Angeles.

After being signed to Atlantic Records for five years, Chappell was dropped by the label in 2020.

She explained that her team worried her single, “Pink Pony Club,” created with producer Dan Nigro, wouldn’t be successful during the pandemic and didn’t fit the darker, more gothic direction her music was taking.

She explained on the show Q with Tom Power that her record label dropped her, something that happened to many artists in 2020. Labels were letting artists go if they weren’t profitable, and the music industry really suffered that year. Since touring—how most artists earn money—wasn’t possible, she was affected. She added that her song ‘Pink Pony,’ released in April 2020, came out at a particularly bad time for a club track, and the label was hesitant to release it in the first place.

Okay, so after Atlantic Records let her go, it was… rough. She actually came back to Missouri, moved in with her parents, and got a job at a drive-through! Can you believe it? She’s told me she really started to wonder if she’d ever make it in the music industry at all. It was a really low point, honestly, but she pushed through it, and look at her now!

As she recalled, “I was just kind of like, ‘I wonder if this is really for me.’”

Despite the challenges, she remained committed to her music and kept working on her unique style on her own.

Looking back, she told Rolling Stone in 2022 that even though her time with a record label was difficult for five years, it ultimately proved to be a great opportunity. She also learned through being independent that she’s capable of handling things on her own.

Chappell isn’t Dan’s only pop princess.

Dan discovered Olivia Rodrigo in 2020 when he saw a video of her singing an early version of her song “Happier” on Instagram. They quickly began working together, and their collaboration on “Driver’s License” launched Olivia to fame.

Dan and Olivia were hitting it off, but Chappell was busy creating music on her own back home in Missouri. When she came back to Los Angeles and started collaborating with Dan again, she met Olivia, and the two of them quickly became very close.

Chappell performed as an opening act for Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour Tour in San Francisco in May 2022, and also supported the beginning of her GUTS World Tour in 2024.

During a November 2023 interview with Triple J radio, she described her rapid rise to fame as ‘intense and fast,’ noting she’d gone from playing a show for 200 people in May of the previous year to performing for 20,000 people in less than two years. She also mentioned opening for the artist in San Francisco the previous May, an experience she enjoyed despite the smaller crowd of 9,000, as the audience’s energy was particularly vibrant due to their younger age.

Chappell has not only performed as an opening act for Olivia Rodrigo on two occasions, but she’s also contributed backing vocals to several of Rodrigo’s tracks.

During an interview with Capital Buzz about her first album, she shared that she sang backing vocals on several tracks, including “Obsessed,” “Lacy,” and “Bad Idea, Right?” She also contributed vocals to “Can’t Catch Me Now,” the song Olivia Rodrigo recorded for the 2023 movie The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.

During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, she explained that she and her stylist, Genesis Webb, draw inspiration from a variety of sources, including drag, horror films, burlesque, and theater. She enjoys creating looks that are both beautiful and unsettling, or even intentionally over-the-top and unconventional – she embraces all aesthetics, even those that aren’t traditionally considered ‘pretty’.

No matter what daring outfit she chooses – whether it’s a see-through latex skirt, a playful pig nose, or sparkly butterfly wings – she always manages to create a stunning impression.

The singer remembered the exact moment she understood that Chappell Roan wasn’t simply a name she used on stage—it was also the identity of her drag character.

I had a drag queen named Crayola open for my show in London, and she pointed out that I wasn’t just wearing makeup – I was performing as a drag queen. It was a really impactful moment for me. I’ve since embraced that identity, and it’s been incredibly liberating to think of Chappell Roan as my drag persona. It’s also helped me separate my work from my personal life.

While on The Tonight Show, comedian Chappell explained that the line “I’m your favorite artist’s favorite artist” was inspired by Sasha Colby, the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15.

She explained that line was a shout-out to Sasha Colby, referencing Colby’s famous saying, ‘I’m your favorite drag queen’s favorite drag queen.’ It really resonated with her, and she hoped Sasha Colby would see her performance someday, which is why she included the line.

One month later, the popular drag performer appeared on stage with Chappell during her show at the 2024 Capitol Hill Block Party.

As someone who was diagnosed with Bipolar II in 2022, I can tell you that the attention my work started getting actually pushed me to prioritize my mental health and seek the support I needed. It was a turning point, realizing I needed to take care of myself alongside everything else.

She told Rolling Stone in September 2024 that she had a very unhappy childhood. She described herself as shy, awkward, and insecure, and said her parents did everything they could to support her.

Honestly, hearing her say it just… wrecked me, but in the best way? She finally admitted she couldn’t keep going on like that, completely broken and lost. She was so down, she actually thought about… well, you know. But she fixed it. She really pulled herself together, and just saying it out loud felt like a huge weight lifted. It was amazing. I’m just so incredibly proud of her for getting her life back on track.

I’ve been so impressed with Chappell since she shared her mental health journey. She’s been incredibly open about what she’s going through, and it feels like she’s really trying to help everyone feel more comfortable talking about these things and break down the shame around mental health. It’s inspiring to watch!

She shared on Instagram that this issue impacts her every day and significantly influences her music. She’s currently doing well and wanted to open up about it, emphasizing the importance of discussing mental health.

This Midwestern princess won’t be dating another singer anytime in the future. 

In a September 2024 interview with Rolling Stone, the singer of “School Nights” openly stated she doesn’t want to date other musicians, saying they are “crazy.”

In March 2025, Chappell shared that she’d been dating someone for six months and was really enjoying the relationship.

“It’s serious,” she said on the Call Her Daddypodcast. “I’m very in love.”

She added, “I’m dating the same person that I was dating before [my career] blew up.”

Chappell publicly came out as a lesbian at a show in Ohio in early 2024, after previously dating men.

She told Rolling Stone that her beliefs meant she shouldn’t have been involved with men. Now, she finds the idea of kissing a man unpleasant, feeling that no man could compare to women as partners.

Even so, she admitted she occasionally struggles with her sexuality. “I don’t understand why it bothers me sometimes,” she explained. “It shouldn’t, but I’m realizing I need to come to terms with it.”

Even though she still sometimes feels uneasy, Chappell is comfortable with who she is as a queer person, but she doesn’t want to constantly discuss it.

Chappell revealed to the audience at the 2024 Governor’s Ball in June that she declined an invitation from President Joe Biden to perform at the White House for Pride Month.

She explained her decision by saying she needed to see everyone treated fairly and with equal rights. Only then, she added, would she join in.

During the performance, she also demanded equal rights for marginalized communities. 

Dressed as the Statue of Liberty, she powerfully stated, “I represent the ultimate queen, but let’s not forget the message inscribed on my very being: ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’ This means fighting for freedom for transgender people, for women, and especially for everyone facing oppression in occupied lands.”

Before performing at the 2024 VMAs, where she drew inspiration from Joan of Arc, Chappell had a heated exchange with a photographer on the red carpet. The photographer reportedly told someone to “Shut the fk up,” and Chappell angrily responded, yelling “YOU shut the fk up. Don’t! Not me, bh.”

Her reasoning for standing up for herself is quite simple.

She expressed her dislike of the attention and fame surrounding the situation in a statement to Newsweek. While some participants are accustomed to that level of public scrutiny, she isn’t. She made it clear she won’t be polite or accommodating to anyone who tries to silence her.

Chappell demonstrated her excellent memory by calling out a photographer at the premiere of Netflix’s Olivia Rodrigo: GUTS World Tour film, referencing a past unpleasant experience with them.

She confronted a photographer, saying, “You were really disrespectful to me at the Grammys and you yelled at me at the after-party. I haven’t forgotten it, and I think I deserve an apology for how rude you were. I need you to apologize.”

Although she’s famous for her catchy pop hits, the Grammy-winning artist is trying something new with her country song, “The Giver.”

Chappell explained on Apple Music’s Today’s Country Radio with Kelleigh Bannen in March 2025 that he wrote a country song simply because he thought it would be amusing. He described the song as ‘campy and fun.’

Although the song was fun to create, Chappell also said it represents a return to the type of music she originally made.

She explained that she was raised in southwest Missouri, listening to Christian and country music. Then, she discovered Lady Gaga’s song ‘Alejandro,’ which opened her up to other genres, but she still holds a special place for country music in her heart.

The singer of “Red Wine Supernova,” known for being honest about the challenges of fame, believes she would be even more popular if she didn’t share her opinions so openly.

In January 2025, Chappell told the BBC that he believes he’d achieve greater success if he could suppress his natural reactions. He explained that ignoring his instincts – the internal voice telling him to stop and protect himself – would allow him to reach a wider audience and become more prominent.

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2026-02-01 04:19