• 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?"
• Roan is a big fan of the Disney series Hannah Montana, which ran from 2006-2011 and starred Miley Cyrus as a seemingly normal teen who was actually a pop star. Her first concert was the Best of Both Worlds Tour, where Cyrus would perform both her own songs and tunes as Hannah Montana.

Comments

More Songfacts:

Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill MeU2

U2's "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" from Batman Forever was nominated for both a Golden Globe for Best Original Song and a Razzie for Worst Original Song.

Love BitesDef Leppard

At the end of "Love Bites" by Def Leppard, there are some vocals that are hard to understand. It was rumored that they were: "Jesus of Nazareth, Go to Hell." It is actually producer Mutt Lange saying "Yes it does, Bloody Hell," with a thick British accent.

Stand By MeBen E. King

Rob Reiner named his 1986 movie "Stand By Me" after the song, since he thought The Body, a Stephen King story on which it was based, sounded like a horror movie.

My AllMariah Carey

Mariah Carey's "My All" is about her affair with New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.

What Do You Mean?Justin Bieber

After 47 visits to the Hot 100, Justin Bieber topped the tally for the first time on September 17, 2015 with "What Do You Mean?"

Return To SenderElvis Presley

When the Elvis stamps came out in 1993, lots of folks used them to mail letters with bad addresses so they would be Returned To Sender.

Editor's Picks

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillianSong Writing

A Soul Train dancer takes us through a day on the show, and explains what you had to do to get camera time.

John ParrSongwriter Interviews

John tells the "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" story and explains why he disappeared for so long.

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

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

Wolfgang Van HalenSongwriter Interviews

Wolfgang Van Halen breaks down the songs on his debut album, Mammoth WVH, and names the definitive Van Halen songs from the Sammy and Dave eras.

Loreena McKennittSongwriter Interviews

The Celtic music maker Loreena McKennitt on finding musical inspiration, the "New Age" label, and working on the movie Tinker Bell.