Chappell Roan has become a prominent breakout artist over the past year, with her winning Best New Artist at the Grammys and seeing her hit single “Good Luck, Babe!” surpass one billion streams on Spotify. However, her rapid rise to fame has drawn public criticism, with some claiming she lacks proper media training.
On the podcast “Call Her Daddy,” Roan told host and influencer, Alex Cooper, “How can these girls tour, write, perform, interview, sleep, eat and [be] so politically educated?” She continued, “Why are you looking to me for some political answer? I’m a pop star. I wish I had the answers.” The clip was shared across platforms such as TikTok and X, where she received heavy criticism for being out of touch.
This comes after a previous controversy in which Roan refused to endorse Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in October, citing “problems on both sides,” referring to policies regarding Palestine. She clarified her views on TikTok, confirming she would be voting for Harris but explaining that an endorsement differs from a vote.
Many fans were upset by Roan’s comments on politics, pointing out that as a queer white woman who previously used her platform to speak out, she should also address issues related to the current administration.
Journalist Ilana Frost describes Roan as a political figure, citing two examples: she refused to perform at the White House under President Biden due to her pro-Palestinian views, and she advocated for better healthcare access in her Grammy acceptance speech.
Frost finds Roan’s stance on speaking out about politics hypocritical, as she criticized one administration but refused to criticize another. She added, “But now, she’s saying she’s not even educated or qualified to share political views?” She points to other artists, such as Olivia Rodrigo, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, who have publicly denounced President Trump, explaining that Chappell has “no excuse.”
However, many fans defended Roan, arguing that the viral clip excluded earlier parts of her statement that provided important context and altered its meaning. Roan explained, “I get asked a lot of crazy questions that a lot of my peers would not get asked, and that’s because I’m gay.” She added that she prefers to focus on her music, admitting that while she tries to stay politically informed, she does not always express herself clearly.
Context creator Kayla Says defended her, adding, “I think she just doesn’t articulate the best. I think people are expecting her to be 100% articulate all the time because she’s being tokenized as the socially progressive pop star.” Kayla believes Roan will continue to speak out on political issues, but may do so less frequently.
Another instance of Roan’s clip being misunderstood is when she spoke about her friends back home with children. “All of my friends who have kids are in hell,” she told Alex Cooper. “I actually don’t know anyone who’s happy and has children at this age.”
Mothers on TikTok were outraged, finding her comments concerning motherhood “dismissive” and calling on her team to get her media trained. However, Roan’s words seem to be taken out of context yet again as later on, she remarks, “They’re in hell ’cause they love their kids.”
Roan is among many other artists whose comments have sparked controversy when taken out of context. This situation highlights how the booming popularity of short-form content leads to more misunderstandings, as clips are shared without the full context of longer interviews or comments.
Despite the controversy, Roan’s overall cadence and calm, witty demeanor throughout the interview led fans to point out how she “speaks with intention and authenticity,” making this interview a highlight for both “Call Her Daddy” and Roan. The interview takes place as Roan embarks on her press tour for her sapphic country song, “The Giver.”