Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chapelle Roan

Review written by Frilled Doll

Chappell Roan’s Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is a breath of fresh air. For many years, I’ve felt a disconnect from the state of modern pop music. There was just something missing from it that was indescribable – a lack of soul, emotion, fun – that I just wasn’t able to pick up on. That’s not to say that it wasn’t there, it just wasn’t there in a way I could personally enjoy. That was, until Chappell Roan came along with this debut album.

Perhaps the reason why this album connects more with my sensibilities the clear 80s influence on the vocals and instrumentals of the songs. Having gen-x parents, I grew up listening to a lot of 80s pop on car trips. Many of the songs on this album take inspiration from that era, with synths that sound straight out of Madonna. That said, there’s also a clear modern edge to them, with certain cut-ins and speaking portions sounding closer to more recent tracks.

The overall theming of this album is consistent, with each song relating to romance or identity in some way. Something else very prominent is Roan’s sexuality, depicting many sapphic encounters. This differs from other pop hits that hint at such in the past. However, unlike Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl,” it’s about more than just sexuality. There’s yearning, romance, and even relationship issues, as depicted in “Casual” and “Kaleidoscope.” This all mixes in with her experiences in the music industry and what she’s done for her career. From boldly proclaiming that she’s going to be herself in “Pink Pony Club,” to the homesickness depicted in “California,” this whole album is Roan expressing who she is. This theming is part of what makes this album such a breath of fresh air. While there’s a history of sapphic songs both recent and old, this is the first time in the mainstream that it hasn’t been treated as a spectacle. It’s so refreshing to see someone LGBT talk about their experiences the same way heterosexual people have been able to for years.

But how do the actual songs fare themselves, you may be asking? If I’m being honest, it was a mixed bag for me. While the album hit high high’s, I can’t deny that a few of the songs left something to be desired. There were songs where the hook just didn’t appeal to what I like to listen to, such as “Femininomenon” or “Coffee.” There were also times where it felt as though the song could be doing more, relying on Roan’s voice to get through the minimal instrumentation and slow pace. It was in those songs, specifically “Kaleidoscope” and “California,” where I felt like this album was at its weakest.

But even at its weakest, the album is still good. And that’s because Roan’s voice is something I’ve felt like we’ve needed for a long time: someone trained to be a singer, not just flashy. It’s breathy, yet deep and rich, and can easily hit near angelic high notes, which makes it all the more fun when you get into the spoken portions of some songs, with a dry yet playful tone. This is someone who is passionate about every song, and it shows beautifully.

Something else that I would like to call attention to, outside of the voice and instrumentals however, are the lyrics. This is one of those albums where you don’t need the lyrics to enjoy the songs, however knowing the lyrics makes them ten times better. Whether it be the raw emotions of fun (“Hot to Go”) or frustration (“Casual”), to the clever wordplay and concepts of “My Kink is Karma,” each song’s lyrics are incredibly well thought out. The best case of this, I believe, is the song “Red Wine Supernova.” The way it describes the raw romantic and sexual attraction to the person the song is being sung to is incredibly poetic – and I still can’t get over that line, “You say you like magic? / I’ve got a wand and a rabbit!”

For me, the strongest moment in this album was the song “Naked in Manhattan.” While other songs like “Hot to Go” or “Picture You” were also high points for me, there really is just something about that song that feels warmly nostalgic, with an atmosphere of bittersweet freedom. This is thanks once again to the synth, painting the song in the audio aesthetic of 80s pop. Adding to it, though, is the filter put over Roan’s voice during certain lines, making it sound like it’s coming out of an old phone. Like the lyrics suggest, it feels like having fun and hanging out with someone who you want to be closer to, but haven’t taken that extra step towards. That nostalgic, bittersweet warmth is one of my favorite feelings to find in music, so I’m incredibly happy to have found it in this album. I especially love the spoken “Touch me, touch me, touch me, touch me!” that interjects between the melody, giving it that more casual feeling.

And of course, we can’t talk about this album without talking about its breakout song that’s been everywhere, “Hot to Go.” I’ve mentioned it a few times, but this song deserves its flowers. As someone who has been pretty checked out from American pop music since around 2016, this song is something I’ve been waiting for for a while. Just pure, unbridled, unserious fun! The cheer as the hook is addicting, and god damn it, you just want to dance and sing along! I could listen to this song 100 times and not get bored.