Trust Your Artist x Chappell Roan
Coachella went on over the past two weekends, and like always, the weekend was filled with magical moments.
One of my favorite things from this festival was seeing Chappell Roan overflow the Gobi Tent on Friday night, just before sunset. This moment was special to see, because unlike others in the crowd, I know how much work, persistence, and fighting it took for Chappell to be on that stage.
In 2020, I worked on Chappell’s artist project at Atlantic Records right as she turned in Pink Pony Club. Chappell was signed for a few years before Pink Pony Club, but she was signed to make dark indie music. When she turned in the upbeat princess pop song about finally accepting herself as a queer woman and wanting to dance with drag queens out in West Hollywood, the label completely turned her down.
We tried to convince the executives that this new direction Chappell was going in was going to finally resonate with people, but they did not agree. Fast forward a few months, and Atlantic Records officially dropped Chappell Roan.
Heartbroken, Chappell knew she found gold in working with producer Dan Nigro and together, they continued to develop her sound. She kept on working, perfecting her craft, and released a few songs along the way including “My Kink Is My Karma,” “Feminiomenon,” and “Casual” before releasing her debut album ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.’
The album received rave reviews, and soon after, she landed the opening slot on Olivia Rodrigo's GUTS tour. Her first viral moment with “Casual” took off over a year after the songs original release on TikTok . The combo led to an insane reach of new fans for Chappell Roan who finally understood the messages she wanted to bring out into the world, and her moment at Coachella cemented her spot in the true pop-princess category.
Her crowd at Coachella was ELECTRIC. Chappell appeared on one of the smaller stages at Coachella like a headliner would on the main stage. She had an introduction video, a moment for the band, and then ran out onto the stage wearing angel-sized butterfly wings and her signature makeup with “Feminiomenon” starting off her set. The crowd was locked in, screaming, excited, and engaged. I couldn’t help but feel pride when I saw everyone enjoying her music and I was so happy to see that Chappell knew herself so well to not give up on the new quest she began. It is just now starting to pay off.
This is just one of the many reasons why you should trust your artist's visions. They know what feels good to them and the direction they want to go in. Take chances on your artists. Support them during the changes. And no, it doesn't happen overnight although it might seem like it. Chappells has been hard at work, advocating for herself, and standing up to the bullies who said this would never work. And who's laughing now?! Anyways - stream Chappell Roan. And trust your artists!
