The Rise and Rise of Chappell Roan: The Stories Behind the Songs, Tours, and Birth of an Icon

Stereogum columnist St. Asaph (When Sarah Brightman Rocked) and music journalist Jahanzeb team up for a chatty, superficial ode to Grammy-winnning, “drag-inspired” pop star Chappell Roan, born Kayleigh Amstutz. Beginning with the star’s Missouri roots, the authors detail how she grew up stifled by her town’s small-town religiosity but found respite in songwriting and developed a style influenced by such artists as Lana Del Rey. She self-released her 2014 debut, Kayleigh Rose, before shopping her demos to record labels and signing with Atlantic Records at 17. Atlantic dropped her three years later, but her rabid online following buoyed her, and she signed with Island Records in 2023. Singles from her sophomore album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, initially gained much “of their traction online.” Later chapters unpack the stories behind specific songs and focus on her advocacy for trans, queer, and women’s rights, but such discussions often feel shallow. Comprising breathless recollections of concerts, extended discussions of stage outfits, and lengthy quotes from Instagram posts, this rudimentary love letter fails to offer much insight on the star beyond what fans already know. Photos. (Sept.)