Chappell Roan - Casual (Live) | Vevo DSCVR Artists to Watch 2024 — S1 E1

2023-11-08

Chappell Roan - Casual | Vevo DSCVR Artists To Watch 2024 In 2012, a newly-minted teen named Kayleigh was watching ‘Katy Perry: Part of Me’ and having a moment. “I just thought it looked so fun to do that on stage,” she remembers about the day Chappell Roan was born. Pop music had always been a useful escape hatch, taking her from the small town of Willard, Missouri to a larger, more accepting world. Her first concert was a bill of Miley Cyrus with Jonas Brothers opening. Seminal pop totems such as Lady Gaga’s ‘The Fame,’ Kesha’s “Don’t Stop,” and Rihanna’s ‘ANTI’ soundtracked her formative years. Take it from Chappell: “It was an amazing time to be tween.” Her subsequent journey, from the Midwest to Los Angeles, from a teenage girl fearful of how people might judge her sexuality to a fully-throated LGBTQ+ activist, is well-documented in her musical world-building. Over the past few years, her undeniable “Pink Pony Club” has been a staple at drag bars, where queens and crowds gleefully sang “Oh Mama, I’m just having fun/on the stage in my heels/it’s where I belong.” Subsequent singles backed up that breakout track’s promise of unabashed pleasure and righteous inclusion. The scintillating “Naked In Manhattan” details an evening of gal pals evolving into lovers. “Casual” wonders if doing it in the back seat and meeting the parents makes two people more than friends. Feels like ‘The Rise and Fall of A Midwest Princess’ is the culmination of a journey that the singer says is currently “in a sweet spot.” Most of that debut album bursts with pulsing synths, anthemic refrains, and hilariously horny one-liners. Smack dab in the middle, however, are “Picture You” and “Kaleidoscope,” a pair of ballads that reveal impressive musical range. We caught up with Chappell in the middle of the Midwest Princess tour. Local drag queens open each show, making it a party for all. Next year, she’ll be bringing that carefree jubilation to Olivia Rodrigo’s concert