“The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” is giving June levels of pride in late September
Chappell Roan, Los Angeles’ self proclaimed Midwest Princess, has built a universe of queer joy from the grit of her past and rhinestones of her future. After getting her start in 2017 Roan’s career had teetered between cities and part time jobs that would support her after being dropped by her previous label (she tells this story in a wondrously raspy tone and swarming instrumentals during “California”). The in betweens, unknowns, and heartbreak were just the beginning, making like catalysts for the future of her artistic journey. Now with her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, Chappell Roan is freely steering into the pop genre with definitive creative control and hearty amounts of glitter.
“Femininomenon” is the project kickstarter, also the most commonly mispronounced and previously considered for the album’s title. “Um, can you play a song with a fucking beat?” she nudges aggressively, introducing the club-ridden rhythms with a sense of humor that will dance across the entirety of the album. Its concept flares out similarly to “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl”, which dips into the trend of spoken-word verses and has the confident integrity of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way”. She’s dispatching for something bigger than what she sees women being subjected to–folding laundry in the suburbs and wasting Friday nights on first dates for a man who doesn’t know how to satisfy them.
“I heard you like magic/ I’ve got a wand and a rabbit” exclaims Roan in the bridge of “Red Wine Supernova ''. You might recognize this clever one-liner from its online virality–videos from her concerts shimmer unabashedly with fun costumes and impressive cardio choreography. Catchy lyrics and dance routines are an essential part of Roan’s creative process: “I love creating songs specifically for audience participation…my favorite part of my job is touring and live performance” she mentioned in a press conference with 1824. This philosophy shines in “HOT TO GO!”, a synth pop single inspired by 80s sounds that insists on pom-poms and a cheer routine, or “My Kink is Karma” where Roan gets off to an ex becoming more miserable by the day.
“I am sad, but I am in love” is how Roan describes “Kaleidoscope”, a piano ballad that explores the many complexities of her experience in queer romance. Other similars like “Casual” and “Coffee” are stuck between knowing better and wanting more: “Here come the excuses that fuel the illusions/ But I’d rather feel something than nothing at all” she admits in the latter. The way they revel in their sorrows completely flip the switch on the euphoria of being “Naked In Manhattan'' or still under the flashing club lights “After Midnight”.
“Guilty Pleasure” is the final track and doubles as the singer-songwriter’s favorite from the album, starting with gentle guitar and vocal harmonies that transform to rising exclamations of the collection of fantasies she shares with a crush. This track specifically, along with the entire album in one way or another, ties back to “Pink Pony Club”, her most popular single to date.
They feel like a joint release of all of the secrets, desire, and outspokenness that queer people have been expected to withhold for far too long.
“Campiness is at the forefront of this project and its identity… it’s supposed to be fun and dramatic” Roan reinforces in the conference. Her visual styles and overall mission as a performer are largely influenced by the drag community, which she pays homage to in music videos and on tour as well. “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” is the highly anticipated collection of generously electronic LGBT+ anthems the world needs right now. With budding superstar Chappell Roan at its heart, members of the community are encouraged to feel pride in ways they never have before.