WORDS Tori West
PHOTOGRAPHY Eleanor Osada
After a sold out, three stop hop at Brixton Academy, one thing is clear – Chappell Roan has solidified her status as the breakout pop sensation of 2024, and the hype surrounding her is more than warranted.
As Roan took to the stage on her final night in London, weary-eyed fans on the balcony of the venue began to murmur that the near-100 year old structure was, in fact, shaking, anxious as to whether it would hold for the entire hour and fifteen-minute long setlist. Meanwhile, a sea of bejewelled, pink cowboy hat-wearing fans belted opening track ‘Femininomenon’ beneath us, completely unfazed.
For us queer fans, this was Lesbian Church, and today was our Christmas. While addressing the crowd, Roan praised them for their inclusion and for looking out for each other: “I would be so sad if I didn’t have gay people in my life. Really sad if I didn’t have straight people who supported gay people in my life, too. Thank you for being the community that I needed so badly when I was 13.”
For days, my Instagram newsfeed was plastered with panicked yet hopeful punters attempting to score a last-minute ticket to the pageant. Balcony anxiety aside, I was incredibly grateful to be invited to this year’s most anticipated tour, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The day before, even Elton John took to social media to praise Roan’s performance, noting, “It’s been a long time since I’ve witnessed someone master the art of performing so early in their career.”
Ahead of the release of her album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess in 2023, BRICKS took Chappell Roan vintage shopping, followed by a video interview at Dalston Superstore. Witnessing her catapult to fame over the past 12 months, from her VMA Best New Artist scoop to making history at Lollapalooza by drawing the largest daytime crowd of the mega-festival, it’s hard to believe we could replicate such a public interview today without being swarmed by fans.
Roan hasn’t exactly shied away from her rapid rise to stardom either. In recent weeks, she’s opened up about the discomfort of fame, from calling out “creepy fan behaviour” to clapping back at abusive red carpet photographers. After receiving some online backlash for her comments, this week she spoke to The Guardian to cement her position. “They think I’m complaining about my success. I’m complaining about being abused,” she told the newspaper. While her comments have caused controversy for some, Roan is putting her newfound notoriety to positive use, spotlighting the repeated harassment that female artists are frequently subjected to following success.
As a headline act, she’s continued her tradition of inviting local drag performers to warm up the crowd. For her final London show, the Midwest Princess collaborated with the BRICKS alternative creative education channel, The Learner Platform, trusting us to find the next breakout music photographer to capture her final night in Brixton. Additionally, Roan is donating £1 for every UK tour ticket sold to UK-based LGBTQ+ rights charity, Kaleidoscope Trust.
“Thank you all for being here and dressing up with me,” she said to the room. No, thank you Chappell Roan, for injecting unbridled queer joy into pop music and spreading kindness along the way.
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