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The Rise of a Gen Z Pop Star
By Sophia Scribner
At first glance, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” may appear just another bubbly album full of girly pop anthems. With song titles like “Femininomenon”, “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl,” and “HOT TO GO!,” a new listener may expect to hear the type of music that would play in a Target ad. But much like the artist herself, this album holds much more than meets the eye.
From the moment you set your eyes on Chappell Roan, noticing her signature white face paint, overdrawn eye shadow, and toothy grin, you’ll know she’s not your average Gen Z pop diva.
Roan took her inspiration for the album from aspects of queer culture, shown as she describes the frustration of harboring a secret relationship in “Casual”, and highlights her dreams of becoming a go-go dancer in “Pink Pony Club,” for example.
The prevalence of queer storylines isn’t the album’s only unique trait. Roan seamlessly glides through genres, guiding the listener through alluring melodies and raucous drum beats as if there was no difference between the two. Beginning the album with the uptempo power anthem “Femininomenon”, Roan immediately demands listeners’ attention by transitioning from a gentle, violin verse to a brash call-and-response chorus with a spoken cry of “Um, can you play a song with a f*cking beat?” To answer the question- yes, she absolutely can.
Roan’s versatility takes the album from an A to an A+. There’s a song for every occasion, making it easy for listeners to rack up hundreds of individual streams. You’ll find yourself screaming along to “After Midnight” at a party with your friends, blasting “California” with tear-streaked eyes as you drive home in the early hours of the morning, and pumping your legs to “Red Wine Supernova” on your daily jog.
In addition to the diverse styles, Roan weaves powerful emotions into her music with poignant lyricism. In “Kaleidoscope,” she describes the ever-changing complexities of a relationship through a multicolored lens. Her light, breathy tone adds to the sincerity of the lyrics as she sings, “It’s never just a shape alone…and even upside down it’s beautiful somehow”.
As a new artist, Roan remains underappreciated for the artistic genius of this album. However, she has recently sprung into the public eye due to acclaim from multiple celebrities such as Olivia Rodrigo, Troye Sivan, and Sabrina Carpenter. She proclaims herself as “your favorite artist’s favorite artist,” a nod to RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 winner Sasha Colby. Her unapologetically queer campiness has garnered popularity for the album among drag queens, a community of artists that Roan embraces with open arms.
Any listener is sure to find something to love about “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”, whether it’s the relatability of the lyrics, Roan’s gorgeous vocals, or the lively drum beat. This album truly transcends barriers of gender, age, and sexuality. After all, everyone has a place at the Pink Pony Club.
