Who is Chappell Roan? 8 essential bops & deep cuts to introduce you

The Rise of Chappell Roan is nigh!

It's the name on everyone's lips!

After viral performances at Coachella, Jimmy Fallon's talk show, and more, Chappell Roan has seemingly become an overnight sensation. But her trajectory has been anything but overnight.

Her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess, released last year and Out named it one of our favorite records of 2023. Even then, she said her music resonating with LGBTQ+ folks was "more than a dream come true" and though her identity might "be exaggerated into drag" in her music, "it’s still the ten-year-old little girl who was obsessed with Britney Spears and Katy Perry."

We're glad the world is finally catching on to this femme-nomenon!

So let's do a quick dive into her catalog...

"Pink Pony Club"

I first stumbled upon Chappell Roan on Tinder.

In the thick of the 2020 pandemic lockdown in Los Angeles, my only outlet to flirt with boys was the apps. Back then, you could list your anthem on your Tinder profile. I matched with some guy and, because I judge people on their music tastes, clicked play on the song on his profile titled "Pink Pony Club."

I was immediately smitten, and screamed about how incredible the song was in his DMs. We weren't meant to be (I can't even remember his name now) but whoever you are, thank you for the introduction! I played this song at every function for the next year trying to get all my friends on board.

Over a year later, I bumped into Roan at Mickey's in West Hollywood and I just had to ask her... which WeHo club is the song about? Rocco's? Flaming Saddles? "The Abbey," she laughed.

"Good Luck Babe"

"Good Luck Babe" currently sits at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100, Roan's highest charting song to date.

The song is tragically queer, mourning a lover in denial about her sexuality. "It's fine, it's cool/You can say that we are nothing, but you know the truth," Roan sings. "Well, good luck, babe/You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling."

The fervor for the track kicked off after the live stream of her Coachella 2024 set, and the conviction on her face during the bridge is beautifully captivating.

"After Midnight"

A b-side that should not be overlooked, "After Midnight" is a glittery dance song about the bisexual chaos one can get up to in the moonlight.

"HOT TO GO!"

This song feels like a movement, with live shows chock full of people screaming "H O T T O G O" while spelling out the letters in dance.

"My Kink is Karma"

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and Roan actually gets off on it in "My Kink Is Karma."

"Casual"

Don't skip Ms. Roan's ballads. "Casual" beautifully catalogs a situationship destined to fail.

"Naked in Manhattan"

"Touch me, baby, put your lips on mine/Could go to hell but we'll probably be fine." Few songs capture the flurry of emotions of a baby queer during a sleepover with a crush that you're praying will turn into something more... And they're definitely not this fun.

"Red Wine Supernova"

One of Roan's most exciting qualities is her vocals, and they're on full display in this sapphic anthem with a killer chorus.

Get into Chappel Roan!

Chappel Roan is featured on our playlist of new music from LGBTQ+ artists, which you can check out here!