Chappell Roan’s fame skyrocketed when she opened for Olivia Rodrigo’s 2024 Guts World Tour, with popular hits like “Hot to Go” and “Good Luck, Babe”(my personal favorite) that have turned her into an overnight sensation. Although I am a massive fan of her (in fact, I’m listening to her music as I write this), her recent disregard for her fans has been disappointing. In the span of a week she was involved in two separate controversies that drastically altered public opinion and changed a lot of fans’ minds about their favorite artist.
The first dispute was her unwillingness to endorse Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, instead releasing a video in support of the Palestinians and telling her fans to educate themselves rather than blindly support Harris. It’s hypocritical to lecture fans while mispronouncing the name of the candidate you’re reluctantly supporting in the TikTok video you released, but beyond that, Roan’s anger in the video was very upsetting to fans.
The second controversy was Roan’s cancelation of two shows at the All Things Go festival for mental health reasons less than 24 hours before she was supposed to be onstage. She took to Instagram and cited ‘overwhelming stress’ stating, “I apologize to people who have been waiting to see me in NYC & DC this weekend at All Things Go, but I am unable to perform, things have gotten overwhelming over the past few weeks and I am really feeling it.” She then described that she feels overworked, faced with “pressure to prioritize a lot of things right now.”
There are multiple issues with her decision. First, many of her fans were already en route to see her. Plane tickets, driving, hotel rooms, and other travel accommodations are not cheap by any means, and the 24-hour warning that she gave her fans is typically past the point of refunds for travel expenses. Fans took to social media to express their frustration, many having already arrived in D.C. to see her.
Many fans, including myself, are upset that she disregards the same fans who gave her a platform. Almost all major artists deal with the pressures that come with their fame; it’s a well-known part of the job. Fans trust that the performers that they are paid to see are going to be reliable. Roan knew the implications of what it means to be famous, as it was something to be expected, and wanted, for a rising pop star. Now that she has attained it, she seems to struggle with the downsides of fame. She has already had to release multiple statements telling fans not to come up to her and ask for pictures, calling it weird and entitled, and has had multiple stalking incidents. While I don’t condone stalking by any means, fans coming up and asking for a picture and recognizing you is a normal part of being a celebrity. Roan should not resent this part of the job.Some people aren’t meant to be famous and can’t handle the pressure that comes with being an influencer, and that is fine. Chappell Roan needs to take a step back and reflect on whether this career path is something she is made for. Another option could be lightening up her schedule to allow herself more time between to work through what she needs to. But she and her team need to solve the issue one way or another, for herself and her fans.
The opinions expressed within this piece represent the views of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Jefferson Independent.
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