The American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan is one of the year’s biggest breakout artists, maintaining fifth on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. Roan has rapidly grown an audience in the past few months, riding on a momentum of popularity, but is now intentionally slowing down her fame due to dangerous fan behavior.
The singer revealed on the “Comment Section” podcast that fans have begun stalking her and even discovered where her family members live and work. She has “pumped the brakes on, honestly, anything to make [her] more known,” trying to escape from the harassment of the public.
On TikTok, Roan shared her additional frustration with fans who become upset when she refuses photos or hugs in public, slamming fans for harassing her and her family. “I don’t care that abuse and harassment, stalking, whatever, is a normal thing to do to people who are famous. I don’t care that this crazy type of behavior comes along with the job, the career field I’ve chosen. That does not make it okay,” Roan stated.
Roan’s concerns about invasive fan behavior highlight the broader issue of parasocial relationships, where fans form obsessive, one-sided attachments to celebrities, often escalating to harmful behavior. Fan culture has normalized blurring the border between a celebrity’s public and private life.
Roan’s controversial decision not to endorse either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris in the upcoming election further brought her into the public eye.
“I have so many issues with our government in every way,” the singer said to The Guardian. “There are so many things that I would want to change. So I don’t feel pressured to endorse someone. There’s problems on both sides.” She continued by encouraging people to use their critical thinking skills.
Roan then took to TikTok again to clarify her views, emphasizing her disapproval of the right while also disliking specific left-wing policies, namely surrounding the crisis in Palestine and issues affecting “every marginalized community in the world.” This stance upset many fans, who argued that Roan, from a position of privilege, is gaining fame through LGBTQ+ culture without actively advocating for the protection of those rights.
As Roan attempts to navigate the backlash she is receiving, her challenges become even more public, culminating in her withdrawal from the All Things Go Concert festival. Roan shared on a social media post, “I am unable to perform. Things have gotten overwhelming over the past few weeks and I am really feeling it.” She continued by discussing her health and the necessity of prioritizing it, wanting to give fans the best version of herself. This decision was met with tremendous backlash from fans and left festival organizers rushing to fill the gaps. Many fans said their decision to buy tickets was motivated by Roan’s presence, with prices ranging from $119 to $199.
Roan was criticized for withdrawing from the festival on such short notice, and inspired a Saturday Night Live sketch featuring Bowen Yang. In the sketch, Yang, dressed up as internet sensation Moo Deng, a viral hippopotamus living in Khao Kheow Open Zoo, imitates Roan’s remarks about her time in the spotlight. Many online found the sketch insensitive, viewing it as mocking a young woman speaking out about her struggles with depression and the pressures and dangers of fame.
Roan’s recent statement addressing fan behavior underscores the challenges of navigating rapid public attention. As she withdraws from performances and faces backlash for her political views, Roan’s journey highlights the complexities of managing fame and personal boundaries.
