The Pits: Fleshing Out Live MUsic

Pop Music, Drag Queens, and the Femininomenon of Chappell Roan

By Katlyn Mortimer

“Your favourite drag queen’s favourite artist” were the words of Sasha Colby as she introduced Chappell Roan’s performance at the MTV Video Music Awards on September 11th. This seemed to be a culmination of the pop singer’s monumental summer fuelled by viral moments, such as when she made reference to a quote by Colby while onstage at Coachella; staring down a camera lens as she proclaimed herself “your favourite artist’s favourite artist”. This speech, as well as the success of her latest single ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ have contributed to her recent mainstream breakthrough, though it’s hard to take her words as hyperbolic when she has received praise from the likes of Lady Gaga and Elton John. She might just be your favourite artist’s favourite artist too.

However, if you have not yet heard of the 26-year-old pop phenomenon (or Femininomenon… sorry it was too easy) simply ask your nearest gay friend or pop music authority (which is me – welcome to my column!). Having recently taken over hearts, minds and ‘For You’ pages, it’s almost certain that major award nominations are next, and Roan will be bringing drag artist culture to the top of the charts with her. Hailing from Missouri, USA, the ‘Midwest Princess’ has often discussed the lack of LGBTQ+ representation she was exposed to growing up, and how she hopes to provide inspiration and comfort for others today. In doing so, she is unapologetic in her references and adoration for all things drag; from her outrageously themed stage costumes and makeup, to acknowledging that her stage name sees her adopting a cocky and “larger than life” alter-ego, it is undeniable that Chappell herself simply is a drag queen.

In many ways, Chappell Roan highlights the ever-present influence that drag culture has had on pop music and vice-versa. Exaggerated hair and makeup to the point of near-tackiness, along with highly dramatised performances, are all staples of your average pop concert and drag show, with both serving the core purpose of entertaining a crowd. Within numerous interviews, Roan has discussed how she takes inspiration from drag artists, telling Jimmy Fallon that the quote from Sasha Colby “hit [her] right through the heart”, and she even paid homage to drag icon Divine by dressing in a similar red dress with overlined lips while performing at Kentuckiana Pride in June.

The popstar also leans into her love of drag by supporting local queens as she tours the world, having three smaller drag artists open for her in each stop. In Glasgow, Rhiannon the Drag Queen was a part of the trio who took the stage prior to Roan, and I spoke to her briefly about her thoughts on the relationship between pop music and drag culture. She feels that drag is “definitely influencing pop”, and that there is a rise in pop stars trying (and often succeeding) to come across as “cunty” in a way that is inherent to drag culture. On a personal level, Rhiannon also acknowledges how pop has influenced their own outfit choices, which feature glitter and rhinestones, and adds “With actual pop music itself, [the songs are] designed to be fun to dance to, which is why a lot of other drag performers like performing them. It’s fun!”

While Roan might be the musical drag queen of the current cultural moment, at least as far as the internet is concerned, she is far from the only one taking to larger stages that have previously been reserved for pop. Drag queen DJ Jodie Harsh has collaborated with the late electronic music icon SOPHIE, as well as releasing official Beyonce and Charli XCX remixes. I caught one of her sets in support of Troye Sivan on his UK and Europe tour over the summer, where she turned an arena of 14,000 people into her own headline DJ set.

A few days after Chappell Roan’s chainmail-clad performance at the VMAs, she took a much smaller and less-coveted stage at the O2 Academy in Glasgow. While waiting in line with other fans dressed in outfits which correlated with the Midwest Princess theme assigned by Chappell herself, a few hopefuls walked back and forth the length of the queue looking for last minute tickets to the sold out show. The smugness of those in line was palpable; having tickets meant we were fans before her wildly successful summer. As the artist eventually took the stage on Sunday evening, the audience sprinted along with her through a short set which included most tracks from her 2023 album, as well as recent single ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ and unreleased track titled ‘The Subway’. With a performance full of interactive moments with the crowd, rhinestoned outfits, Kate Bush-esque vocals, and enough self-confidence to confuse Jimmy Fallon, Roan’s concert takes all the core aspects of drag and adapts them to the pop-sphere, where they attract an even larger audience than what the self-proclaimed “freak” could have ever imagined.

The purpose of drag is to entertain, and to subvert previously held gender expectations and stereotypes in an effort to embrace what is often widely rejected. Chappell, as a cis-woman, may not be your typical drag queen, but as Trixie Mattel mentions in conversation with Roan for Paper Magazine, she might just be the “missing link” between pop and drag. As Chappell Roan’s career reaches new heights, and her audiences only continue to multiply in size, it’s clear that she will still be onstage in the most maximal knight-in-shining-armour outfit, hailing praise to the queens who came before her.