Chappell Roan Finishes Sold-Out Tour With A Message To Queer Fans
Closing out a sold-out three-city tour, Roan said her goal on stage is to make queer fans feel included and supported.
Featured image by Joseph Okpako/WireImage
Chappell Roan closed out her Visions of Damsels & Other Dangerous Things tour in Los Angeles last weekend with an emotional reflection on why she continues to perform. Speaking to a sold-out crowd of nearly 30,000 at the Brookside at the Rose Bowl, Roan said that “bringing queer people joy” is what keeps her connected to her work.
“I wasn’t gonna do a US tour until the very last minute, I decided to do one, and I’m so glad I did. It’s so fun. This job is so awesome. Thank you for making it awesome,” she told fans. “Everything made sense this year: Why I do this. Last year, I was really questioning, ‘Why am I doing this to myself? I’m so sad. I feel so left out in public. I feel so awkward all the time.’ And I always felt like, ‘Why am I putting myself through this? If this feels so, if this is taking so much away from me, what is this for?’”
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Roan’s brief tour included stops in New York, Kansas City, and Los Angeles, with profits reportedly donated to trans charities. Despite the limited run, she said performing headline shows again reminded her of her purpose as an artist.
“And then I started doing shows again, and it all made sense that it was to literally bring queer people joy and tell them that it’s OK,” she said.
During her speech, Roan spoke candidly about the challenges of public life and the importance of creating safe, affirming spaces for her audience. “There’s so many things in the world that are so ‘f*ck you’ and like, then there is this,” she said. “The only thing that matters anymore is joy to me. And protecting that, and peace and safety. So I hope you know that when you are here, you are safe, and I want you here, you can be whoever you are tonight.”
She added that her shows are open to everyone, regardless of identity. “You’re cherished for everything that you are. Even if you’re not queer, I hope you know that I include you. This isn’t just for the gays,” she told the crowd. “Thank you for being here and supporting me and supporting each other. This is the biggest headline show I’ve ever had. So thank you.”
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Roan also reflected on her personal connection to Los Angeles, the city that inspired much of her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. “Moving to the city is what I wrote this entire Midwest Princess album about, and I wrote all my favorite songs here. I am me because of the city. So thank you,” she said.
With the tour wrapped, Roan will return to the studio to continue work on her second album, which she has described as still being in its early stages. In March, she told fans on a TikTok Live she was “so beyond far away from” completing the project and “could not even tell you” when it would be ready.
