Meet Chappell Roan, the US drag queen who is inspired by Pabllo Vittar

The American Chappell Roan is the voice behind the success of “Good Luck, Babe!” a song that went viral and conquered the greatest achievements ever recorded by a drag queen on Spotify and Billboard .

The song, which talks about a woman who refuses to believe that she is attracted to other women and gives in to the feelings she has for the lyrical self, currently occupies the position of 4th most listened to in the United States , according to the streaming platform. In the global ranking, “Good Luck, Babe!” is at number seven .

On Billboard’s Hot 100, the main North American music chart, the song reached 10th position and has not left the ranking since its release, 13 weeks ago. Chappell Roan’s only album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”, released in 2023, is in 5th position on the Billboard 200.

Want to know who the person behind Chappell Roan is? CNN explains to you:

Who is Chappell Roan?

Kayleigh Rose Amstutz is a 26-year-old American lesbian artist born in the state of Missouri who plays Chappell Roan, a name chosen as a tribute to her grandfather who died of cancer in 2016 and to her favorite song, “The Strawberry Roan”, by Marty Robbins.

Her career began in 2017, when she went viral with “Die Young,” her first song. But it wasn’t until 2018 that she moved to Los Angeles with her parents and let her queer identity blossom when she was welcomed by the drag queen community in West Hollywood.

“I felt like I could be whoever I wanted to be here. That changed everything,” Roan said. in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

It was precisely this feeling that motivated the composition of “Pink Pony Club”, her first hit, which talks about her desire to be a dancer in West Hollywood. From there, one thing led to another: the singer continued releasing stand-alone singles, gained traction by opening shows for Olivia Rodrigo and shone at festivals such as Coachella and Governors Ball.

Inspired by artists such as Kate Bush, Lana Del Rey and Lorde, Chappell Roan produces pop music with synthesizers and a nostalgic vibe, which flirts with the work of Stevie Nicks. Other inspirations taken by the drag queen are Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Kesha, Nicki Minaj and Pink, artists she discovered during her adolescence. Her makeup, hair and style, however, have references such as Boy George and Vivienne Westwood.

The American also recently took over, in interview with Elle Brazilwho follows the work and is inspired by Pabllo Vittar, a Brazilian who holds the position of most followed drag queen in the world.

Comparison with RuPaul

Fans of RuPaul and Pabllo Vittar question Chappell Roan’s success and achievements as a drag queen, since, according to them, he would not suffer the same oppressions as their favorites because he is not a gay man. Drag art, however, is not restricted to sexual orientation or gender identity.

Chappell Roan has achieved unprecedented records for a drag queen, such as the top 5 on the Billboard 200 and Spotify in the United States. RuPaul and Pabllo Vittar, in turn, also boast big brands.

The Brazilian is the most followed drag queen in the world and has almost 13 million fans on Instagram. The Maranhão native also reached Spotify’s global top 15 with “Alibi,” her new song made in partnership with Iranian Sevdaliza and French Yseult.

RuPaul’s main musical achievements include the hit “Supermodel”, which reached number two on the Billboard US Dance Club chart, and the album “Born Naked”, which reached number 89 on the Billboard 200. Her highlight, however, is as a presenter, a career that has earned her 25 Emmy Award nominations and 14 trophies.

She became the biggest winner in the category of Best Reality Show Host, with eight wins, and her show is the second that won the most in the category of Best Competition Reality Show, with four trophies.

Pabllo Vittar will be the most important drag queen in the world, says NY Times