Chappell Roan shines at Grammy Museum, shares insights on mental health, love, and music

A night of revelations at the Grammy Museum

Pop sensation Chappell Roan captivated the audience during an intimate Grammy Museum event, delving deep into her mental health journey, experiences of falling in love, and the evolution of her music. The evening, part of the museum’s spotlight series, featured a thoughtful discussion moderated by musician Brandi Carlile, providing attendees with a rare glimpse into the personal and creative aspects of Roan’s life and work.

The making of a debut album

Reflecting on her acclaimed album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, Roan opened up about the challenges she and producer Daniel Nigro faced. The album, which spent an impressive 32 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart since its release in September 2023, took five arduous years to complete. “It just took a lot of years to convince people,” Roan admitted, explaining the difficulty in gaining industry backing.

Roan emphasized the struggle of working without financial support or a strong fanbase. “I had no money. I had no numbers backing me up. I had an EP that did not do well by the music standards. I had toured, but no headlines,” she shared, further highlighting the perseverance and passion that fueled her journey.

Pink Pony Club and unexpected timing

One of the standout tracks from Roan’s album, Pink Pony Club, was an early collaboration with Nigro, released in April 2020. Roan humorously noted the irony of releasing a club anthem during a pandemic, stating, “It was the worst time for a club anthem to come out,” a remark that was met with laughter from the audience.

The song marked a significant transformation in Roan’s stage presence and persona. “I wore only black on stage. It was very serious,” she said. “The second that I took myself not seriously is when things started working.”

Embracing a character and rapid fame

Roan, who adopts a stage name, confirmed that her onstage persona, “Chappell,” is a crafted character. “I just can’t be here all the time. It’s just too much,” she confessed, revealing the overwhelming nature of her rapid ascent to fame and its impact on her mental health.

When discussing her mental health routine amidst her skyrocketing career, Roan candidly shared that it is an evolving process. “My life is completely different now. Everything is out of whack right now,” she admitted. The singer acknowledged that the intensity of her recent success has significantly affected her mental stability. “Every big thing that happens in someone’s career happened in five months for me,” she noted, illustrating the whirlwind of her newfound fame.

Love and Kaleidoscope

Exploring the theme of love, Roan recounted the personal story behind her song Kaleidoscope, which centers on falling in love with a best friend. “I think that it’s specific to queer relationships because it is about falling in love with a friend,” she explained, emphasizing how friendships can often blossom into romantic relationships in the queer community.

Roan described the emotional rollercoaster of confessing her love. “I told my friend that I was in love with her. She was like, ‘Can you just give me a day to think about this?’” she recounted, revealing that the song was written during that anxious waiting period. The experience validated her identity and left her with no regrets. “For the first time, I got confirmation that yeah, I am not a fraud for saying I’m gay. Two, what an incredible person to fall in love with for the first time. Your best friend that you think is awesome and hilarious.”

Triumph on Saturday Night Live

In a crowning moment of her career, Roan made her debut on Saturday Night Live, performing Pink Pony Club and a new track, The Giver. Describing The Giver as a “queer country anthem,” Roan expressed her excitement about the song’s upcoming release. “It’ll come out, don’t worry,” she assured fans, highlighting the joy she found in writing it. “I got to bring what I knew to the table ’cause I’m a country girl.”

Roan’s reflections and anecdotes from this Grammy Museum event underscored her resilience, creativity, and authenticity, leaving fans inspired and eagerly anticipating her future projects. For more updates and behind-the-scenes stories about your favorite artists, follow us on social media and stay tuned for the latest from the world of music and entertainment.