The unconventional pop sensation Chappell Roan, familiar to many for her tracks such as ‘Pink Pony Club’ and ‘HOT TO GO!’, chose the stage of Amazon Music’s ‘Country Heat Weekly’ podcast to drop hints about her unique lesbian country song, ‘The Giver’. Even as she prepares herself to venture into the realm of country music, she grounds her aspirations not in disrupting the genre but in encapsulating elements of nostalgia, fun, and traditional country elements like the fiddle and banjo.
Roan, with her authentic queer voice, strives to unleash an unmatched level of freedom that she finds missing in her pop-centered journey. This revelation accompanied her charming preview performance on ‘SNL’ in November, where she donned a country-inspired ensemble to accentuate the ebullient ambience of her soon-to-be-released song.
On stage, she presented a joyous spectacle as she sang, swirled, and strutted to the enriching harmonies of the fiddle-infused track. Her powerful, sensual chorus ‘Take it like a taker, ’cause baby I’m a giver / Ain’t no need to help me, ’cause baby I deliver / Ain’t no country boy quitter / I get the job done’ left a sublime imprint of queerness, country-style.
Eve after her ‘SNL’ debut, the song ‘The Giver’ was dubbed by many as a unique queer anthem channeled through the soulful twang of country music. Chappell Roan’s fascinating journey begins with her roots strongly anchored in Missouri, from where she picked her stage identity – an homage to a traditional country music song and her supportive grandfather’s surname.
Her grandfather’s unwavering belief in her resonates uniquely with her music. He was the sturdy pillar backing her dreams with his confidence, never questioning her decisions and redirecting her towards conventional routes like attending college. ‘He would’ve loved this,’ Roan would often quote, finding her existence in the industry largely influenced by him. As such, she believes it’s fitting that she took the name ‘Chappell Roan’.
Her spell-binding performance on ‘SNL’ marked the accomplishment of one of her childhood aspirations. She delighted audiences by playing not only ‘The Giver’ but her well-known number, ‘Pink Pony Club’. But, despite her foray into country music with her first single, Roan lays to rest any assumptions that she has any long-term country music agenda.
Roan presents her musical exploration as an acknowledgement of her Midwestern roots, referring to herself as the Midwest Princess. She affirms her appreciation for country music by relating it to her surroundings, echoing through the aisles of grocery stores or playing on the local bus.
Despite her recent focus on country music, Roan shrugs off speculations about the genre of her next album. While she admits she yearns to work with country music legend Shania Twain, she is clearly not in a rush to reach a final decision.
Right now, she has no constraints and is open to experimenting with anything and everything musically with no haste. She fondly remembers how her last album took five years to complete and wishes to invest a similar amount of thought, passion, and time into her new project.
Roan’s motive is not to produce an all-country album, but to gather the best of her songs, regardless of genre. She remains undecided about how many country songs the album will contain, emphasizing her primary concern is quality rather than quantity.
Roan’s journey, as unique as it is, symbolizes the essence of a musician’s journey: exploration without borders. No matter what sounds are playing in her current environment, she aims to channel her creative energies without falling into the limiting bounds of a single genre or style. Despite the pressures and speculations surrounding her, she remains committed to her art and the journey of self-exploration.
The unorthodox pop star’s narrative presents an intriguing tale of identity, roots, and relentless pursuit of versatile artistic expression. Embracing her title of the Midwest Princess, authentic with her queer voice, bold in her experimentation, Roan represents an all-too-rare package of talent, determination, and inspiration.
As Chappell Roan steps forward on this multifaceted journey, she unwaveringly balances the influences of the past, commitments of the present, and uncertainties of the future. The story of her personalized freedom sought through the tendrils of varying music styles comes as a breath of fresh air in an industry often brimming with rigid stereotypes.