Chappell Roan

Known for charismatic, campy synth-pop anthems like "Pink Pony Club," Chappell Roan is an American songwriter, queer icon, and solo artist from Willard, Missouri. She was born as "Kayleigh Rose Amstutz" on February 19, 1998, and began playing piano at 10 years old. By the age of 17, she was writing original music and fielding offers from record labels, eventually signing with Atlantic in 2017 and releasing her debut EP, School Nights, that same year. Roan began working with producer Dan Nigro in 2020, and the collaboration reinvigorated her approach to pop music. "Pink Pony Club," her first Nigro-produced single, was released that year and became a critically-acclaimed viral hit, although its lack of commercial success prompted Atlantic to drop Chappell Roan from its roster. Undeterred, she continued to work with Nigro over several years, crafting the 1980s-inspired, electronically-textured songs that would eventually fill her full-length debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. Released by Island Records in September 2023, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess was promoted by a series of tours, including a North American tour as Olivia Rodrigo's opening act. Those shows — as well as a dynamic performance on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert web series — introduced a new generation of fans to "Pink Pony Club," and the song appeared on the Top 100 Deezer charts in 10 different countries in early 2024. The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess reached the charts, too, debuting at number 127 (and peaking at number 5) on the Billboard 200. Later that year, Roan earned her biggest hit to date with "Good Luck, Babe!," which reached number 10 on the Hot 100 and went gold in America.