• February 19, 1998
• Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, known professionally as Chappell Roan, is an American singer and songwriter from Missouri. Her stage name honors her grandfather, Dennis Chappell, and his favorite song, "The Strawberry Roan" by Curley Fletcher. A roan is a kind of horse.
• She incorporates queerness into every aspect of her artistry. Roan herself is queer and frequently features female love interests in her songs. She also draws inspiration from drag culture and drag queens.
• Her journey to pop stardom wasn't always smooth. Growing up in a small Missouri town, Chappell Roan honed her skills with acting classes and piano lessons but kept her true identity under wraps. However, Roan's desire to entertain burned bright. Early efforts like the brooding "Die Young" showcased her raw talent.
• Chappell Roan first landed a record deal with Atlantic Records in 2015. She released a 5-track EP called School Nights, but in 2020 she decided to move on.
  
  This proved to be a turning point. She joined forces with Dan Nigro, a songwriter-producer known for crafting chart-topping hits for the likes of Olivia Rodriguez, Conan Gray, and Caroline Polachek. Together, they cooked up songs like "Pink Pony Club" and "Naked in Manhattan." Vulture named "Pink Pony Club," inspired by finding a welcoming space at a West Hollywood gay bar, their "song of the summer."
• Roan's 2023 debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, cemented her status as a rising star. A vibrant exploration of self-discovery, it landed on numerous year-end best-of lists.
• She had a breakout moment at Lollapalooza on August 1, 2024 when she played to the biggest daytime crowd in the history of the festival. Three days later, she played a rousing set at Hinterland that won over the headliner, Noah Kahan, who posted a video of him dancing during her set with the message, "I may be headlining but I'm really here for Chappell Roan."
• Roan had a hard time dealing with the throngs of new fans who approached her for photos or hugs after she found fame in 2024. In August, she vented on TikTok. "I don't want whatever the f--k you think you're supposed to be entitled to whenever you see a celebrity," she said. "I'm allowed to say no to creepy behavior."
• Her first performance was at her 8th grade talent show, which she won. It was the first time she realized her talent. "I was like, wait, am I good at this?" she said.
• Roan won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 2025 ceremony, beating Sabrina Carpenter and Benson Boone. She used her speech to petition for artist support.
  
  "I told myself if I ever won a Grammy and got to stand up here in front of the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels, and the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists, offer a livable wage and health care, especially to developing artists," she said. "I got signed as a minor, and when I got dropped I had zero job experience, and like most people had a difficult time finding a job in the pandemic and couldn't afford health insurance. It was so devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system and so dehumanized to not have health insurance. If my label had prioritized artist health, I could have been provided care by the company I was giving everything to. Record labels need to treat their artists like valuable employees with a livable wage and health insurance. Labels, we got you, but do you got us?"

Comments

More Songfacts:

I SwearAll-4-One

"I Swear" was a #1 country hit for John Michael Montgomery before All-4-One made it a #1 pop hit.

I Won't Back DownTom Petty

"I Won't Back Down" is a very personal song for Tom Petty. "I thought it wasn't that good because it was so naked," he said.

MargaritavilleJimmy Buffett

"Margaritaville" is a state of mind, but it's most associated with Key West, Florida, where Jimmy Buffett moved when he was 24.

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On MeElton John

Recording "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me," Elton John was frustrated and sang the line "don't discard me" with an exaggerated American accent, which is why is sounds strange.

Cult of PersonalityLiving Colour

"Cult of Personality" by Living Colour incorporates speeches by John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Street HassleLou Reed

Lou Reed's 11-minute "Street Hassle" features a spoken part by Bruce Springsteen.

Editor's Picks

Stephen Christian of AnberlinSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist for Anberlin breaks down "Impossible" and covers some tracks from their 2012 album Vital.

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

Art Alexakis of EverclearSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer of Everclear, Art is also their primary songwriter.

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.

They Might Be GiantsSongwriter Interviews

Who writes a song about a name they found in a phone book? That's just one of the everyday things these guys find to sing about. Anything in their field of vision or general scope of knowledge is fair game. If you cross paths with them, so are you.

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.