Image taken from Chappell Roan's Twitter @chappellroan
Chappell Roan has been 2024’s biggest and most unexpected breakout pop star. Going from a virtually unknown singer to being in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 in less than six months, her rise to fame has been unprecedented. Yet, her most recent statement refusing to endorse either Harris or Trump for the 2024 presidential race has left many fans enraged and somewhat confused. This reaction sheds light on the synonymy of pop music and mainstream political structures, a symbiotic relationship that upholds conformity, consumerism and lack of criticism among fans.
Starting with Chappell’s original statement, she took to TikTok to explain that she refuses to endorse either Harris or Trump. Fans immediately took offence to this position and attacked the pop star by branding her “arrogant” and “privileged” for her seemingly apolitical stance. In the midst of one of the closest presidential races in history, fans assumed that her lack of endorsement for Harris meant she was misleading voters to abstain or, more so, silently supporting Trump.
In the wake of this controversy, Chappell then clarified her position by saying she is “questioning both sides”, referring to the Democrats and the Republicans, revealing the nuance of her politics that many fans had overlooked. She then encouraged her supporters to be critical of those in power and continue to put pressure on oppressive and discriminatory structures, something she has consistently advocated for throughout her career.
This controversy highlights the hypocrisy and the conformity that mainstream pop culture breeds. Popular music has always been complimentary to the power structures they uphold, with many of the biggest stars performing at inaugurations and coronations. It is made to be mass-produced and consumed, discouraging the individual from being critical and forming their own opinions. With palatable melodies and PR-trained stars at its epicentre, Chappell Roan has gone against the grain by criticising the establishment that she has just entered.
The media surrounding pop music has long upheld this relationship, criticising and blacklisting any pop star that steps out of line. Thinking back to Janet Jackson’s mortifying Super Bowl performance or Sinéad O’Connor denouncing the Pope on live television, pop culture news publications are instrumental in ensuring pop stars remain politically palatable. They spread misinformation and eye-grabbing titles that mean to incite gossip rather than being informative, critical, or even truthful.
It was, in fact, this exact genre of click-bait sites that twisted Chappell’s words and took her quotes out of context, leading to her phrase “there’s problems on both sides” being spread around the internet like wildfire, inciting fans to ‘cancel’ her for not supporting Harris like many of her contemporaries. There is a definite irony in this particular situation; in Chappell’s attempts to change how pop stars discuss politics, she was once again reduced to a single misquote that failed to capture the nuance of her argument.
Mainstream pop culture has often been in contact with Democrat candidates, with songs from Dolly Parton and Aretha Franklin featuring in previous campaigns for the party, not to forget Barack Obama’s biannual music playlists. This affiliation can be seen as a way to engage young voters, who have been leaning more and more towards voting Democrat over the last 20 years. Furthermore, music as an art form, and the creatives behind it, are more likely to hold more liberal values, and the consumers tend to share these views. Art has historically been fuelled by social inequalities and political activism which inspires change towards a more progressive society, leading many artists to reject the policies of the Republicans. The most recent example is Beyoncé threatening Donald Trump with a cease-and-desist for the use of her song ‘Freedom’ in a campaign video, only to tacitly endorse Kamala Harris by allowing her to use the same song.
Similarly, the fans of pop stars mirror this hypocritical attitude when it comes to the political views of their beloved idols, sometimes forcing them to speak out on issues they have been previously silent on. Only this year was Taylor Swift (rightly) criticised by her dedicated fanbase for not speaking out on the war in Palestine. However, this must fit within the realm of palatability which the fans deem appropriate, as if pop stars are not allowed their own views, and they must mirror what the vast majority of fans are thinking. Chappell has evidently walked right into this paradox, yet it only further supports what she is preaching: fans cannot blindly support established power structures and criticise those who urge them to be critical themselves.
This policing of political views by the fans and the media has led many celebrities to become performative or insincere with their activism. The most recent example is Katy Perry’s tragic attempt at a feminist anthem, “Woman’s World”, a song meant to empower and uplift women, ironically produced by Kesha’s alleged sexual abuser. This left a sour taste in the mouths of many, as it seemed Perry was using a social movement to sell more albums, a common symptom associated with the pop music industry.
Conversely, throughout her rise to fame, Chappell has been consistently outspoken and advocatory with her politics, specifically when it concerns marginalised people. From her early days as an undiscovered artist, we see her working with LGBTQ+ artists, her music video for Pink Pony Club celebrating queer club culture and featuring drag queens. Judging from Kamala Harris’ somewhat shady history concerning transgender rights, it’s only natural that she would be hesitant to endorse her, being a queer woman herself. She has also criticised Harris’ continual support of Israel during the war with Palestine, and with the Republicans supporting further restrictions over female bodily autonomy through abortion laws, it’s difficult to understand why fans are unable to see that neither party represents her social and political beliefs.
This grand oversight by pop fans and the media regarding the true nature of Chappell Roan’s statement highlights the hypocrisy and paradoxical standards set for celebrity activism. Artists are stuck between a rock and a hard place: fans pressure them to speak out on issues which are then misinterpreted and misquoted by the fans and the media alike. Chappell’s continual support for marginalised communities and criticism of the structures that perpetuate these inequalities can only be seen in a positive light, and with more experience with the media, she will be able to speak out for her beliefs without them being maligned and twisted.
