"I miss frolicking": Chappell Roan opens up on how superstardom changed her life

Your favorite artist's favorite artist would love to browse Forever 21 in peace again

By Griffin Eckstein

News Fellow

Published July 17, 2024 10:23PM (EDT)

Chappell Roan performs in concert during the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 16, 2024, in Manchester, Tennessee.  (Gary Miller/WireImage)
Chappell Roan performs in concert during the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 16, 2024, in Manchester, Tennessee. (Gary Miller/WireImage)

Chappell Roan’s sudden soar to superstardom might be well-deserved, but it doesn’t come without massive lifestyle changes, the star shared.

In an appearance on Drew Afualo’s podcast “The Comment Section,” the “Casual” singer opened up on how fame changed her life overnight.

When the pop star and drag artist, who opened for Olivia Rodrigo on her recent “Guts” tour, was asked about what she missed most about anonymity, Roan didn’t hold back, answering, “Drugs. Drugs in public. That’s what I miss.”

“Rolling up, being a f*****g freak at the bar, or, like, making out with someone at the bar,” the singer said. “I miss frolicking, obviously, because now I’m too self-conscious to frolic.”

The “Pink Pony Club” star spoke candidly about her inability to hit Forever 21 or the thrift store without catching eyes, and the unwanted attention that comes with her fame.

“People have started to be freaks, like, follow me, and like know where my parents live, and my sister works,” Roan said. “This is the time — a few years ago, I said — like if stalker vibes, like family was in danger, is when I would quit. And we’re there.” 

The Midwest Princess’s meteoric rise, and the fandom that goes with it, has meant she’s “pumped the brakes” on anything to grow her following even more.

Roan, who announced shows in smaller venues in Iowa, Tennessee, and Arkansas this week, played to massive crowds at music festivals like the Governor’s Ball and Bonnaroo earlier this summer, drawing crowds of tens of thousands of fans. 

Roan, who still amplifies drag artists and remains outspoken on underrepresented issues, was honest about the perks of stardom, too.

“I never thought I could fly first class,” the “HOT TO GO!” singer told Afualo. “Miley [Cyrus] invited me to like a party and I was like, you don't know that you were my first concert when the Jonas Brothers were opening for you!”


MORE FROM Griffin Eckstein