Is it Casual Now? Chappell Roan’s callout of toxic fan culture reveals deeper issues in the music industry

07/10/2024

Heather Gosling (she/her) investigates Chappell Roan’s response to toxic fan culture

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Image by Jason Martin

By Heather Gosling

Chappell Roan’s debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess has defined this year's music scene, but now the singer is paying a cruel price for her fame that has opened up the dark side of fan culture that needs changing. Chappell Roan rocketed to chart-topping fame from almost complete obscurity, and she currently has seven songs in Billboard’s Hot 100. Recently, the singer pulled out of her US appearance at All Things Go festival to prioritise her mental health, describing her situation as “overwhelming”. She was set to perform at the festival in Washington D.C and New York on the 28-29 September.

She explained: “I apologise to people who have been waiting to see me in NYC & DC this weekend at All Things Go, but I am unable to perform,” the 26-year-old wrote. “Things have gotten overwhelming over the past few weeks and I am really feeling it. I feel pressures to prioritise a lot of things right now and I need a few days to prioritise my health. I want to be present when I perform and give the best shows possible. Thank you for understanding. Be back soon xox.”

The festival organisers replied in support on the platform X (formerly Twitter): “it’s important to remember that health and well-being always comes first.”. This isn’t the first time that Chappell Roan has opened up about her mental health, her sudden rise to fame has prompted the singer to speak out against toxic fan culture, which threatens to cast a shadow over her success.

In August, she released two Tik Toks calling out the “creepy behaviour” that she has experienced from some of her fans. One such incident occurred when a fan grabbed her and kissed her in a bar, another when an autograph hunter would not take no for an answer. In the videos Chappell asks her fans if they would approach a random person on a street and ask to take photos with them, or if they would stalk a random person online and she then compares herself to this random person, emphasising how fans should view celebrities as human beings. In an interview with the podcaster Drew Alfonso, Chappell mentions some instances of fans stalking her and her family.

The singer concluded that fame “has the vibe of an abusive ex-husband”, and recently threatened to quit the music industry if it became unhealthy for her. She also stated that “I don’t care that this crazy type of behaviour comes along with the job, the career field I’ve chosen,” she said. “That does not make it OK, that doesn’t make it normal. That doesn’t mean that I want it, that doesn’t mean that I like it.”

She continued to call out the entitlement of some of her fans: “I don’t want whatever the fuck you think you’re supposed to be entitled to whenever you see a celebrity,” she continued. “I don’t give a fuck if you think it’s selfish of me to say no for a photo or for your time or for a hug. That’s not normal. That’s weird. It’s weird how people think that you know a person just because you see them online and you listen to the art they make. That’s fucking weird! I’m allowed to say no to creepy behaviour, OK?”

The radical nature of the singer’s stance towards fame has caused ripples in the media and the music industry. Whilst several people have commented that these experiences are part of fame and to be expected, why should women have to suffer through the toxic behaviour of fans and the wider music industry? The unrealistic expectations that fans place onto celebrities are damaging, and it is important to realise that celebrities are human, and more empathy is needed if we are going to get anywhere. It takes someone like Chappell Roan to boldly call out these behaviours for any real change to happen.