Photos and words by Taylor Shields
Chappell Roan is a star. That’s what I kept thinking to myself as I watched her perform her debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess on Saturday night to a sold out crowd at The Fillmore Philly. Confident and unique, with a voice you feel like you’d hear crooning at the piano in the corner of a dark cabaret bar, unjustly undiscovered. Thankfully, Chappell’s talent was recognized early on, signing a record deal with Atlantic Records at just 19 years old. After releasing a handful of singles with Atlantic, Chappell signed with Island Records earlier this year, releasing The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess produced by Dan Nigro, most recently known for producing Olivia Rodrigo’s 2021 debut album Sour and its 2023 follow-up GUTS.
Committed to supporting queer artistry, each stop on Chappell’s tour opens with a drag show highlighting local queens from each city, which sets the tone for the night, bringing a ton of energy and just an all around fun vibe that Chappell channels in her performance. Dressed hat-to-boots in a bright pink, bejeweled cowgirl outfit, Chappell’s Midwest Princess persona was in full effect, as she took the stage to album opener, the upbeat “Femininomenon”. The crowd, dressed to match, screamed and roared as Chappell jumped, twirled, and fist-pumped her way through her power anthems. Conversely, they fell silent, entranced in awe, as she poured her heart out during pop ballads like “Picture You”, “Coffee”, and “Kaleidoscope”.
Chappell’s setlist also included an exceptional cover of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance”. As she left the stage before returning for her encore, the crowd started a “Pink Pony Club” chant, calling for the pop hit that Vulture deemed 2021’s Song of the Summer – a song that tells the story of a smalltown girl who finds herself venturing to Hollywood and dancing in a strip club, loosely inspired by Chappell’s own experience and admittedly influenced by her secret wishes to become a go-go dancer in LA.
It’s hard to believe Chappell is touring a debut album, as she’s already garnered a dedicated fanbase with its own culture, one that’s more commonly awarded to the more veteran artists. It gives the feeling that she’s just on the cusp of full blown mainstream pop star success, and we’re all lucky enough to witness her takeoff in real time. We’ll surely be keeping a close eye on Chappell’s career from here on out, because one thing is for sure – the self-proclaimed Midwest Princess is definitely on the rise.
Chappell Roan will be continuing on her North American headlining tour through mid-November, but she’ll be joining Olivia Rodrigo on her GUTS tour starting in February. See all of her upcoming tour dates here. Check out the music video for “HOT TO GO!” below and keep scrolling to see more photos from the show.
