Chappell Roan — a rising Midwestern lesbian pop star — gained global recognition with her debut studio album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess.” This album blew up after her exuberant performances for Olivia Rodgrigo’s GUTS tour.
Roan’s album was released in 2023 — a year before she rose to fame. By opening for Rodrigo, Roan was recognized for her talent: her unique 90’s synthesizer caught the attention of thousands. This new kind of music brought many back with a sense of nostalgia and a new interest in her music. Finally being recognized, Roan began her exponential rise in fame.
Her number one charting song, “Good Luck Babe” — with 739 million streams on Spotify alone — uses a lesbian comphet (compulsive heterosexuality) experience as the main idea of the song. Roan’s lines “When you wake up next to him in the middle of the night/with your head in your hands,” she describes a lesbian woman waking up to her husband she regrets marrying. The next line, “you’re nothing more than his wife,” represents the feeling of being trapped in a heterosexual relationship that doesn’t associate with her true identity. The song’s powerful lyrics and catchy melody especially resonate with people who have struggled with their experiences with comphet.
These lyrics bring to light the pressure many lesbian women face to settle down and marry a man, leading many lesbians to deny their feelings towards women. They remind me of the time I felt abnormal for not liking men, as well as the desperation that came with trying to like men. The sense of loneliness and yearning throughout the song relates back to the internalized homophobia referenced in the music.
Roan’s breakthrough of discovering she is a lesbian is described in her song “Naked In Manhattan.” She writes about her realization of liking girls while living in a conservative town. Her lyrics, “Touch me, baby, put your lips on mine/Could go to hell but we’ll probably be fine,” refer to how Roan grew up with people saying that being gay was a sin — rhetoric lots of queer people face. As a non-religious person, I didn’t grow up with this belief. However, it is a common idea that is implanted in many people who grew up religious, causing internalized homophobia and prejudice.
However, she doesn’t seem to care anymore because she’s too caught up in her hookup. The synth and upbeat tune adds on to the happiness of being able to express herself and not caring about the consequences that might come later. It just comes together in a way that feels freeing because, throughout the song, Roan accepts the fact that she is different and that it’s okay to be gay! (please laugh).
Roan’s album helps lesbians feel connected in pop music. Her songs “HOT TO GO!” and “Good Luck Babe” went viral — “HOT TO GO!” blew up on TikTok through the dance she created and the cheerleading vibes of the song, while “Good Luck, Babe!” gained popularity in the queer community by connecting to the common experiences of queer people growing up in conservative communities. Roan uses the power of retro synth-pop and the extravagance of drag queen styles to bring the queer community together.
