Chappell Roan: The Giver  

Carissa Argumedo 

Music Journalist 

In honor of Women’s History Month, I want to celebrate one of the most powerful women in the music industry today and an artist I am absolutely enamored with, Chappell Roan. Although Roan has been in the music game for about a decade, she’s experienced a sudden rise to fame in the last several months. From her unique and glamorous looks, her undeniable talent, and her strong attitude has successfully captivated the attention of the world.  

I absolutely adore Chappell Roan. I admire everything that she stands for, and I appreciate her artistry so deeply. Roan has become a popular favorite amongst all age groups, and fellow celebrities loudly praise her work. With such a diverse fan base, it is easy to say that Roan has created a unification of many communities with her work. Roan is actively doing something different we have never seen before. Roan accredits her work to drag queens, several music artists she’s grown up listening to, and being a queer person in the Midwest. These influences are apparent in her songs and this is what makes her music uniquely her own. Chappell Roan is a pop sensation that is bringing fun back to the music industry! 

As we know, Chappell Roan likes to switch up and carry a specific theme within her drag looks. With the release of her new single, “The Giver,” Roan is emulating mid-western country aesthetics, but if it was camp and drag. Roan first performed “The Giver” on her debut on Saturday Night Live looking fabulous, the set design once again portraying that countryside style, and her voice equipped with sultry smooth fun! The song itself being a silly commentary on the inadequacies of men and highlighting strong suits that Roan and other “givers” possess. Roan includes some of the typical country-song arrangements like the banjo, harmonica, and even some of the lyrics are demonstrated in Roan’s take of the genre. Roan has been very open about growing up in the Midwest and, in turn, listening to country music for a large part of her life. Since its release, she has also been vocal about the queer community that is prevalent in the country scene yet experiences erasure. Roan says in her interview with Kelleigh Bannen for Apple Music, “Even if it’s not the artist that’s gay singing — girl, those backup singers, those girls on tour, the people playing banjo — there are gay people making the music.”  

Chappell Roan is such an important figure right now, and she is exactly what the world was needing. She is full of passion, love, ideas, and a confidence that rattles the media’s attention. Never afraid to use her voice to speak out about issues like artist rights, human rights, and anything in between, this is who women everywhere should be looking up to. I am more than willing to confidently state that Roan has revitalized the music industry with her quirky and eclectic sounds. A woman who uses her platform for all the right things and truly deserves every bit of success she might receive. A woman who deserves to be celebrated until the end of time. Happy Women’s History Month!