By Lucky Gilmore | Social Media Editor

Chappell Roan, an up-and-coming pop singer from Springfield, Missouri hosted a RSVP-only show in her hometown on Sept. 20 to showcase her new album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess.” 

The show was free for fans who got on the list, though she encouraged donations for a local LGBTQIA+ community center in Springfield. 

I attended the concert with one of my close friends, Gabi Orick. She was the person who introduced me to Chappell Roan’s music and got the tickets for us.

There was a line of excited fans dressed up in their favorite Chappell inspired look. We met many people dressed up as magicians from her “Red Wine Supernova” video, neon athletic outfits from “Naked in Manhattan” and an abundance of pink cowboy hats from “Pink Pony Club.” As an avid concert goer, getting in line for the show and meeting all the other fans was one of the most fun parts.

We managed to almost get to the barricade, which for an absolute fangirl like me, was incredible since I could be so close to the woman herself. 

Chappell Roan is an avid supporter of drag queens and hired local queens to open the show for her. Three queens opened for her and I was in complete awe. They absolutely worked the crowd and made everyone hyped for Chappell to come out. 

After the openers, Chappell Roan came out and I lost my mind seeing her come onto the stage. We were all so excited since we were going to be the first people to hear the new songs on the album. 

She opened the show with a few previously released songs, including my favorite, “Red Wine Supernova.” She only added five new songs to the album and every one was amazing to hear live.

My favorite of the new songs to hear live was “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl.” She said before singing it she took inspiration from the LGBTQ+ community’s love for hyperpop music to write this song, which was evident. 

Another new song that was amazing to hear live was “Coffee.” “Coffee” is a song about being in love with someone who does not feel the same and yet you keep going back. The lyrics and emotion of the song highlighted Chappell Roan’s hauntingly beautiful voice as she felt those emotions while singing live. 

We saw the show on Wednesday and the album came out Thursday night. The high from the concert was still fresh and I was so excited to relive the new songs we heard live from the night before. After listening to the album on my own, I was already excited to go to another show. 

“Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” and “Coffee” are still my favorites I heard live, but “Picture You” and “After Midnight” quickly rose to my top choices on the album itself.

Chappell Roan put on an amazing show that I would recommend to anyone to go and see and I can’t recommend her new album enough. 

Hearing these songs live and then on an album was definitely an exciting feeling. Especially being able to re-listen to the ones I had never heard and have a personal connection with the lyrics I could not make simply because of the excitement of being there live. 

Overall, the album release experience, from the live show to the jam session in my car, was an amazing experience I highly recommend.

Categories: Arts & Entertainment