Getty ImagesThe star, who was seen in Boston in May, performed her fourth UK show of her career. What do you call it when an artist’s debut album is already a greatest hits compilation? That was the question on my mind during Chappell Roan’s first UK show of 2024 on Friday.
Concerts usually have their highs and lows, but the crowd at Manchester Academy knew more than just the hit singles. They sang along to every word, every ad-lib, of every song – some with mascara streaking down their faces, others with hands pressed against their hearts.
Chappell herself was sometimes drowned out by the passionate audience. At other times, she stopped and listened as the fans chanted her own lyrics back at her.
It’s a rare phenomenon – or as Chappell calls it, a “Femininomenon” – that only happens once in a blue moon. I witnessed it when Olivia Rodrigo played her first UK shows in 2022. I witnessed it when One Direction took over Wembley Stadium. And I saw it during the initial leg of Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black tour, before excitement turned into concern.
This kind of connection between an artist and their fans occurs when the fans feel like the artist is speaking directly to them, or on their behalf.
For Chappell’s audience, the adoration is particularly strong because of what she represents. At 26, she is the first openly queer pop star to achieve mainstream success without having to come out as part of her post-fame narrative.
Her debut album, “The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess,” tells a real-life coming-of-age story, filled with messy relationships and tentative exploration of her sexuality. She began writing the album while in a relationship with a man, only to realize that her lyrics were revealing her true feelings.
In her songs, Roan blends power-pop influences from artists like Lady Gaga and Britney Spears, infusing them with campy cheerleader chants and provocative sexual references.
One of her standout tracks is “Pink Pony Club,” a semi-autobiographical tale of a small-town girl’s evolution into a go-go dancer. But her breakout hit this year was “Good Luck Babe,” which narrates a fling with a girl who denies her own sexuality.
Roan is a natural performer on stage, and her elaborate costumes have become instant social media sensations.
The Manchester fans praised her songwriting, saying that her lyrics make her more significant than other pop stars. They emphasized the importance of having a mainstream queer artist like Chappell in the music industry.
The artist’s journey to success was not an easy one. Born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz in conservative Willard, Missouri, in 1998, she grew up in a trailer park and attended church regularly, where she was taught that being gay was sinful.
After being discovered on YouTube, she was signed to Atlantic Records and released her first EP in 2017. However, the EP did not perform well, and she was dropped during the pandemic. She returned to Missouri and took a job at a coffee shop, but continued to collaborate with Daniel Nigro, who helped shape her current sound.
Her album initially received little attention but gained momentum after touring with Olivia Rodrigo. She went on to perform at major festivals and eventually topped the UK album charts.
However, with success came challenges, including invasive fan behavior. Despite this, her Manchester audience showed nothing but love and admiration for her.
Dressed in mermaid-themed outfits as requested by Chappell, the fans celebrated her and her music, showing their support for the LGBTQ+ community. Chappell expressed her gratitude for their acceptance, stating that being in a room full of people who looked like her was something she needed when she was younger.