I’m your favorite artist’s favorite artist,” synth-pop singer Chappell Roan declared at the Coachella music festival this spring while embracing her signature fiery red curly hair, dramatic makeup and glittery, bold-colored costumes.

According to NPR, this was a reference to drag artist Sasha Colby, who is known for calling herself “your favorite drag queen’s favorite drag queen” and has inspired and influenced Roan’s hyper-confident, distinctive and fierce personality. Roan has built this reputation by standing up to fans and press regarding her privacy, shaping her as a controversial pop culture sensation as she skyrockets to fame.

Since her Coachella performance, her 2023 album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” has gone viral on social media. The album topped the charts, helping Roan grow from 1.5 million monthly Spotify listeners in March 2024 to over 42 million in November.

According to Forbes Magazine, she dominated major music festivals this year, breaking the attendance record at Lollapalooza, one of the largest music festivals in the world.

Palo Alto High School senior Lara Dumanli, who became a fan over the summer, said that despite Roan’s sudden rise to fame, many people don’t realize that she has been working in the music industry for a decade.

“She was actually signed at 17 years old, which is a big deal especially when she comes from the middle of nowhere in the Midwest,” Dumanli said.

However, for many of Roan’s fans, her drastic rise to fame was sudden. Senior Aria Shah, who became a fan in 2022 when Roan performed as the opener for Olivia Rodrigo’s tour, said she felt shocked.

“The way she has blown up on Tiktok is super unnatural,” Shah said. “It felt weird … and dystopian in a way.”

While Roan is mainly known for her bold and intoxicating stage presence, sophomore Kate Lindstrom said that her relatable music and character also contributed to her fame.

“Chappell has shown that she is not separate from the general population and she has separated herself from the modern-day artist … she’s not this billionaire, crazy superstar in Hollywood,” Lindstrom said. “Her persona in the public eye shows that she’s not crazy, super above us all, she’s a person. She’s just like any of us. I think that’s why a lot of Gen Z connect to her.”

However, her unique public persona goes beyond transparency with her fans. Junior Katherine Zaner, who became a fan over the summer, also said that she believes Roan’s music caters to the LGBTQ+ community.

“I know a lot of people who are in that community find themselves relating to the songs and really reading into the lyrics and taking it as guidance and advice for themselves,” Zaner said.

Sophomore Stella Guo said Roan’s music emphasizes emotions and storytelling.

“She kind of expresses that you have the freedom to do what you want and not let other people limit you,” Guo said.

Zaner agrees, saying Roan embraces her individuality more than other artists.

“A lot of conventional pop stars, they’ll kind of take what the audience wants from them and run with it,” Zaner said. “I feel like she’s just her own person … She doesn’t really care if you like it or not, because she knows that she’ll have that niche group of people behind her that will support her.”

Zaner said that she believes that withthis mindset, Roan emphasizes the importance of transparency in the way she wants to be treated by fans and the press. Boundaries with the public became increasingly important as her fame grew because fans were stalking her family.

“Since people got really famous, it’s just been expected of them to take all of the criticism and all the harassment that comes with it,” Zaner said. “I think it’s really good that she speaks out about it and I feel like it’s catching on more. I feel like more and more celebrities are saying that ‘this isn’t okay, I’ve been treated a certain way and it’s really unacceptable.’”   

Dumanli describes Roan as pushing for famous figures to be treated with more respect.

“We’re entering a new era … in regards to personal boundaries and human decency in the celebrity and singer world,” Dumanli said. “Just because you’re in the public eye doesn’t make you any less of a human. … The fact that she’s able to set those boundaries and not feel ashamed for setting those boundaries speaks to our new generation of standing up for ourselves and not taking what past generations have kind of allowed.”

On the other hand, junior Keerthi Raj said Roan deserves privacy, but she believes that fame comes with pros and cons that she should expect and be prepared for.

“I think with her not wanting to associate with her fans is just rude,” Raj said. “I get you’re having a bad day, but you can’t have a bad day every day when you’re an artist.”

In addition to boundaries with fans, Roan’s sudden cancelation of two festival shows for health reasons has created controversy, according to The New York Times. Raj said that she believes Roan can be portrayed as obnoxious and not having a care in the world.

Controversy around Roan also increased on social media when she made a statement that she would not endorse any candidate in the U.S. Presidential Election.

Lindstrom said she believes all Roan did was stand up for herself.

“Celebrities don’t owe you political opinions at all,” Lindstrom said. “Just because she’s bi [lesbian] does not mean she’s going to vote a specific way. That may be a little bit of an indicator, but celebrities don’t owe you political opinions at all, or endorsements.”

Junior Alice Sheffer said she believes society is not ready for female celebrities like Roan to set clear boundaries and claim space.

“I feel like people are more used to female celebrities who are afraid to take up space either because of their own personality or the way they’ve been media trained,” Sheffer said. “But Chappell, she’s unabashedly herself and she’s taking up the space that she deserves.”

Dumanli agrees.

“I like that she’s able to redefine her own legacy and able to take charge of who she is and what she stands for,” Dumanli said. “We’ve had decades of doing the same stuff for our generation to finally be like, ‘no, how about we stop being perfectionists and actually think outside of the box and use your creativity and your imagination, maybe have some empathy for some people.’ That’s why she makes me proud of being … young and youthful.”