Chappel Roan, born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, has quickly become a sensation. She grew up in the

midwest in a small town in Missouri, and started her infamous career by strictly uploading music covers

onto Youtube.

Roan signed with Atlantic Records at only seventeen years old, but after releasing a few songs

they dropped her in 2020. Her co-writer, Dan Nigro, eventually signed her to his record label Amusement

Records in 2023, and they worked to release new projects like the song “Casual”. This song’s success

on Tiktok contributed to just one of the factors in solidifying her presence in the music industry.

This rising star is now inescapable, and this past summer her career skyrocketed. She went from

a young girl growing up in the midwest, to a global superstar blowing up the charts. After she opened for

Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts Tour from February to April, her stage presence and songs have continued to blow

up on Tiktok. Her fans have grown since and she is now one of the most talked about pop stars on

platforms.

Her music is greatly influenced by 1980’s synth pop and early 2000’s hits, specifically pop icons

such as Britney Spears and Fleetwood Mac star Stevie Nicks. According to an Anchor Magazine article

Roan once stated, “Stevie Nicks and Karen Carpenter are my main vocal influences. When I was

younger, I would try to mimic their voices.” On the other hand, she gets much of her style influences from

drag queens. Roan speaks boldly about the art and artists of the drag cult who inspire her, praising

Sasha Colby and other queens. Often, she has different drag queens from all around open her shows,

while she encourages fans to give back to the queer community. She continues to use her platform to

spread awareness about drag performances being banned in front of minors, gender affirming care for

minors being prohibited, and every other LGBTQIA+ restriction.

Performing at Lollapalooza with over 110,000 people watching her set, Chappell Roan’s career

seems to only keep growing. Her ability to connect with her fans through her vulnerability and catchy

songs has set an incredible place for her in the music industry.