Chappell Roan is certainly a rising star in the music industry – and with such a unique look and sound, who can blame all the hype around the emerging artist? In the past year, the singer-songwriter has put out a critically lauded album,supported Olivia Rodrigo on her sold-out Guts World Tour, and was frequently named as one of the highlights of the 2024 Coachella Music Festival.
On top of that, the artist has recently achieved her most successful single yet, “Good Luck, Babe!” which has also gone viral on TikTok. With her following now bigger than ever before she embarks on her own headlining tour, the future certainly looks bright for Chappell.
Whether you’re a new fan, or if you’re an established member of the Pink Pony Club, here are the basics you need to know about the future superstar – including a short biography, the unusual inspiration behind her artistry, and a guide on how to nail her often-mispronounced name.
How do you pronounce Chappell Roan?
Let’s break it down by first, then last name to keep things simple. It’s not Chappell like the comedian Dave Chappelle – it is a hard, not a soft, “Ch”. It is simply “chapel”, – like a church chapel, (or the song Chapel of Love by The Dixie Cups) – with an extra L at the end.
“Roan” is quite similar to “roam” with an N instead of an M at the end. It is not, as many people pronounce it, with a highly pronounced A like the name “Rowan”. It rhymes with words like sloane or loan.
If you don’t believe us, here’s a clip of Chappell Roan pronouncing her name.
Who is Chappell Roan?
Chappell Roan (born 1998) is a singer-songwriter, originally from Willard, Missouri. Roan began releasing music in 2015, starting with “Die Young”, which she had written herself and uploaded to YouTube. Roan released an EP, School Nights, in 2017, featuring the song, alongside the songs “Good Hurt” and “Sugar High”.
Last year, Chappell Roan released her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, to critical acclaim. The album was produced and co-written by Dan Nigro, who also co-wrote and produced the albums Sour and Guts with Olivia Rodrigo. The album included the singles “Pink Pony Club'”, “Hot to Go!”, and “Red Wine Supernova”.
In 2024, Chappell supported Olivia Rodrigo on her Guts World Tour (her second time supporting Rodrigo after the previous Sour World Tour in 2022) and will embark on her own world tour later this year. Roan also performed at the world-famous Coachella Music Festival, and her performances were some of the most-watched online.
The star is also working on her sophomore studio album, collaborating once more with Nigro. Her latest single, “Good Luck, Babe!”, scored the singer her first charted song on the Billboard Hot 100 in April of this year.
Is Chappell Roan Chappell Roan’s real name?
No, Chappell Roan was, perhaps unsurprisingly, not born with the name Chappell Roan. Roan’s real name is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz. Roan initially posted music on YouTube under the name Kayleigh Rose. This led to the artist signing with Atlantic Records before eventually changing her name to the stage name Chappell Roan before she began formally releasing her own music under the new name.
Speaking to Cherwell about the reason behind the name change, Chappell explained, “I have never felt super connected to my real name.” Growing up in Missouri as a then-closeted lesbian, the star’s subsequent move to Los Angeles in the early stages of her music career was a new start for the singer.
What inspired the name Chappell Roan?
In an interview with Cherwell, Chappell Roan also revealed the origin of her stage name. Roan explained that her maternal grandfather, Dennis K. Chappell, died of brain cancer in 2016, early into her music career, and the name serves as a tribute to him. “Roan” is derived from her grandfather’s favorite song, “Strawberry Roan” by Curley Fletcher, a classic country song. A strawberry roan is a type of horse that has a pinkish-red coat, which ties in nicely with Roan’s song, “Pink Pony Club”.
Chappell has stated multiple times in interviews that her stage persona and looks are heavily inspired by drag, so her love for the art of drag, where performers typically adopt stage names, is a move that makes a lot of sense.