The Midwest Princess is taking over Williston.
Many Williston students have heard — or in the case of “HOT TO GO!” and its associated dance, seen — the impact Chappell Roan’s music has around campus. With songs like “Pink Pony Club,” “Red Wine Supernova,” “Femininomenon,” and “Casual,” the cheerful, campy and often raunchy lyrics on her recent album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” have vaulted the album to the number one spot on Billboard’s vinyl album’s chart.
Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, better known as “Chappell Roan,” 26, was born in Willard, Missouri on Feb. 19, 1998. Her stage name is a tribute to her grandfather, Dennis K. Chappell, whose favorite song was “The Strawberry Roan,” by Marty Robbins.
Linnea Rhodes, a senior day student from Northampton, Mass., enjoys Roan’s music, and is amazed at how fast her star rose.
“I think it’s pretty cool how she blew up this fast,” Linnea said. “I’ve never seen anything like that before. It’s good music, something people haven’t seen in a while. She’s doing something different that I think is really cool.”
Aiyana Karanja, a junior boarder from New York City, praises Chappell Roan’s sudden rise to fame.
“I love how she came out of the blue and is taking over the pop culture world,” Aiyana said. “Her songs are amazing. I love ‘Good Luck, Babe.’ It is so heartfelt and has so much emotion and her voice conveys the message incredibly well.”
“No one is doing it like her right now,” she added.
In a TIME article, author Moises Mendez II, wrote, “Her witty lyrics and infectious melodies bring listeners along on journeys through situationships, passionate affairs, breakups, and even the satisfaction of seeing an ex get what they deserve.”
Senior class president, Isabel Baxter-Paris, from Longmeadow, Mass., has been a longtime fan of Chappell Roan.
“She’s bringing a lot of excitement and fun back into the pop music scene in general. I think it’s really impressive and wonderful how she credits the people who came before her and [is] giving credit where credit is due,” said Isabel. “I feel like every day, somebody new who I’m talking to who I wouldn’t necessarily expect to listen to her, is listening to her more and more.”
Senior boarder and one of the captains of the Girls Cross Country team, Gabi Bobiak, from Holderness, N.H., notes an added benefit to listening to Roan’s music.
“I like how it’s so high energy. The lyrics are fun, the beat is fun, and it’s really good running music,” she said.
Scott Halligan has been the Director of Music at Williston for three years. He believes Chappell Roan’s music has sentimental value.
“I’m a child of the 80s, and she scratches that 80’s itch that I always have. I grew up listening to Cyndi Lauper, and she has a very similar kind of vibe to some of her music that I really respect,” said Halligan. “Her lyrics are in the service of telling honest, emotional stories.”