Chappell Roan & Celebrity Endorsement

The animosity and never-ending discourse that surround modern American politics are inarguably swayed by the activity of celebrities and musicians. Throughout the summer, as the 2024 presidential election neared, countless public figures took to social media with endorsements, opinions, and infographics. One such figure was Chappell Roan.

Roan, whose first brush with fame came in 2020 from her single “Pink Pony Club,” has dominated the charts following the release of her debut album. Titled The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, the record is an upbeat, dynamic anthology of Roan’s own experiences with femininity, queerness, and her Missourian roots. In keeping with the modern process of music promotion, Roan’s dramatic spike in popularity came largely from TikTok’s influence. Viral dance trends to her music abounded; scored by Roan’s “Casual,” users lamenting their ill-fated “situationships” posted horror stories to social media platforms. Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival in August, with Roan on the bill, hosted 110,000 attendees. According to a Lollapalooza representative, nearly all of those festival-goers were present for Roan’s set, constituting one of the largest crowds the event has ever seen. Roan’s career grew increasingly promising—spanning from June to August, her streams rose by 100% (Rolling Stone), and her content flooded social media algorithms. But, just three weeks after Lollapalooza, Roan took to TikTok with a minute-long, comment-restricted video censuring the “crazy type of behavior” that her fans regularly exhibited upon encountering her in public and online. Following the video’s release, Roan endured harsh criticism from Internet users who accused her of coping improperly with her newfound stardom. More recently, on September 24th, Roan posted a new statement. This video, longer and far more impassioned in content, functioned as Roan’s official refusal to endorse a candidate for the 2024 presidential election.

Celebrities and musicians have historically participated in conversations surrounding American politics. Their scope of influence has always been wide —even before the era of social media—and their contributions to political discourse continually prove controversial. Take the Chicks’ (formerly the Dixie Chicks) controversial denunciation of president George W. Bush in 2003: in protest of Bush and of the Iraq War, band member Natalie Maines stated that “[the Chicks are] ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas,” and the group’s steady #1 spot on the charts was decimated by what Billboard called a “country-music time bomb.” Years later, in the lead-up to the 2020 election, singer Taylor Swift officially endorsed the Biden-Harris administration in an interview with V Magazine, drawing mass praise from her followers. Contributing again, in 2023, Swift made a post urging her Instagram followers to register to vote in the 2024 election. This instruction may have been the reason for a “1,226% jump in participation” on registration platform Vote.org, according to NPR. These instances, specifically Swift’s enterprising Instagram presence, exemplify the undeniable force that celebrities exert upon the voting American populace. While celebrities like Swift may possess some amount of sway, others are not so lucky. Chappell Roan is one example.

In her two TikToks, she reiterates to viewers that the familiar, glamorous, kitschy “Chappell Roan” is strictly a character, separate from any real-life identity. In the second video, she sheds that persona in favor of a rawer and more confessional appearance — a tried and true celebrity trick that imbues Roan’s statement with candidness. She goes on, arguing that the flawed “policies of the right…and the left” prevent her from comfortably endorsing one party, but that she will cast her ballot for Kamala Harris. “Endorsing is different than voting,” she says, “[and I’m] critiquing both sides” (Roan.) Her statements were not well-received, but much of the backlash was targeted towards Roan’s personality and behavior rather than her political opinions. Roan’s entire tirade serves as a prime example of the modern public figure’s reckoning with their role in society.

Roan first negotiated the terms of her fame with her massive fanbase; in the same breath, she attempted to broker a role for herself in the much larger field of politics. This combination of Roan’s social media presence, fast rise to fame, and susceptibility to public scrutiny proved especially potent when she chose to share her political views. But, it still remains unlikely that Roan’s response to the 2024 ballot influenced any significant percentage of voters. None of this is to say that Roan—or any other celebrity—should be barred from expressing their opinions. But Roan’s debacle leaves unanswered questions of the efficacy, harms, and benefits of celebrity presence in elections. Will celebrity endorsements continue to toe the line between substance and superficiality? And will celebrities ever successfully barter their way into the political arena? Too early to call.