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Pop sensation Chappell Roan has said that she has “pumped the brakes” on her public presence after feeling threatened by some of her fans’ behaviour.
The “Hot to Go” singer has been one of the big musical success stories of 2024, having risen to prominance after opening for Olivia Rodrigo on her Guts world tour.
During an appearance on the Comment Section podcast, Roan (real name Kayleigh Rose Amstutz) explained that she had grown increasingly concerned by the actions of a small number of her fans.
“People have started to be freaks,” she told podcast host Drew Afualo. “Like, [they] follow me and know where my parents live, and where my sister works. All this weird s****.
“This is the time when a few years ago when I said that if [there were] stalker vibes or my family was in danger, I would quit. And we’re there. We’re there!”
While Roan has not suggested that she would be “quitting” music, she did claim that she was trying to avoid anything that would further increase her profile as a celebrity.
“I’m just kind of in this battle… I’ve pumped the brakes on, honestly, anything to make me more known,” she said. “It’s kind of a forest fire right now. I’m not trying to go do a bunch of s***.”
In recent months, Roan has made waves with performances at Coachella and the Governors Ball. Her debut album, last year’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, charted in the Billboard Top 10 months after its release, amid a surge of attention on social media.
Speaking to The Independent in December, the “Red Wine Supernova” artist recounted a discussion with pop-punk hitmaker Rodrigo regarding the best way to handle online negativity.
“She was just like, ‘No one has it figured out. No one has the answer. It’s different for every person,’” said Roan.
“I do think it was really helpful for me to hear that no matter who you are or how big you are or how small you are, you feel the same.”
In June, Roan revealed that she had turned down an invitation to appear at a Pride celebration at the White House.
The singer, whose work has been celebrated for its queer themes, dedicated her song “My Kink Is Karma” to the administration, during a performance at the Governers Ball, saying: “As a response to the White House who asked me to perform at Pride: we want liberty, justice and freedom for all.
“When you do that, that’s when I’ll come.”
