In 2024, Chappell Roan emerged as a pop sensation, with her hit "Good Luck, Babe!" propelling her to global fame and marking a transformative year for the queer pop icon.
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Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, known professionally as Chappell Roan, has taken the music world by storm in 2024, emerging as one of the year’s most significant breakout artists. Born on February 19, 1998, in Willard, Missouri, Roan’s journey to stardom has been marked by resilience, authenticity, and a bold embrace of her queer identity.web:4 Her single "Good Luck, Babe!," released on April 5, 2024, through Amusement Records and Island Records, became a global phenomenon, peaking at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reaching the top five in multiple countries, including the UK, Ireland, and Australia.web:0 The song, a 1980s-influenced power ballad with synth-pop and baroque pop elements, addresses the struggles of compulsory heterosexuality, resonating deeply with audiences worldwide.web:0 Following the success of her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023), Roan’s 2024 was a whirlwind of festival performances, award nominations, and cultural milestones. By April 2025, "Good Luck, Babe!" had spent a full year on the Billboard Hot 100, cementing its status as her biggest hit to date.post:2 This article explores Roan’s meteoric rise, the impact of her music, her cultural significance, and her future prospects in the music industry.
The Rise of "Good Luck, Babe!": A Breakout Hit
Chappell Roan’s "Good Luck, Babe!" marked a turning point in her career, becoming her breakout hit in 2024. Released on April 5, 2024, the song was co-written with Justin Tranter and Dan Nigro, who also produced it, and features a maximalist production with pulsing synthesizers and a string section.web:0 Described by Roan as a song "about wishing good luck to someone who is denying fate," it addresses a queer woman suppressing her romantic feelings for Roan in favor of a heterosexual relationship.web:0 The track’s emotional depth and theatrical delivery struck a chord, earning acclaim from critics and fans alike. Publications like NME, The Guardian, and Rolling Stone named it the best song of 2024, with NPR’s Sheldon Pearce calling its refrain, "You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feeling," a "monumental read that feels like a gut punch."web:0web:17
The song’s commercial success was equally impressive. It debuted at number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 20, 2024, and climbed to a peak of number four by September 28, 2024, becoming a sleeper hit.web:0 By November 29, 2024, "Good Luck, Babe!" had amassed one billion streams on Spotify, a milestone Roan celebrated as "cuckoo loco" on social media.web:0 It also topped charts in Ireland and Poland, reached number two in the UK, and was certified quadruple platinum in the US by January 22, 2025, for sales exceeding four million units.web:0 The song’s success was a catalyst for Roan’s debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, which entered the top ten on the Billboard 200 in June 2024 and later topped charts in the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand.web:4 Covers by artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Kelly Clarkson, and Miranda Lambert further amplified its reach, with Carpenter’s version charting at number 75 on the UK Video Streaming Chart in July 2024.web:0
Roan’s live performances of "Good Luck, Babe!" were pivotal in its rise. She debuted the song at SOMA San Diego on February 22, 2024, and performed it at Coachella in April, followed by a televised appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in June.web:0 Her medieval-themed performance at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards on September 11, where she shot a flaming arrow to set the stage ablaze, drew widespread praise for its creativity and energy.web:13web:22 By April 17, 2025, posts on X indicated that the song was expected to drop below the top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 after a full year on the chart, ranking as the biggest Hot 100 hit of her career.post:2 "Good Luck, Babe!" not only showcased Roan’s vocal prowess but also established her as a formidable force in pop music.
Chappell Roan’s Breakout Year: From Festivals to Awards
2024 was a transformative year for Chappell Roan, marked by high-profile performances, sold-out tours, and significant recognition in the music industry. Following the release of The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess in September 2023, Roan gained momentum as an opening act for Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS World Tour, where her performances went viral on social media.web:9web:20 She capitalized on this exposure with a headlining Midwest Princess Tour, which included sold-out dates and festival appearances at Coachella, Governors Ball, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza, drawing record-breaking crowds despite not being a headliner.web:9web:18 At Governors Ball in June, Roan performed as the Statue of Liberty, emerging from a big apple with green body paint, an outfit she later ranked as her top look of 2024.web:17
Roan’s festival performances were complemented by her awards show appearances. At the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, she was nominated for four awards, including Best New Artist and Song of the Summer for "Good Luck, Babe!," and delivered a standout performance introduced by drag queen Sasha Colby, who called her "your favorite drag queen’s favorite artist."web:13web:18 Although she didn’t win Song of the Summer, which went to Taylor Swift and Post Malone’s "Fortnight," her fiery, medieval-themed performance solidified her status as a rising star.web:11web:22 Roan also appeared as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on November 2, 2024, where she performed "Good Luck, Babe!" and teased a new country-tinged song, "The Giver," which she released on March 14, 2025.web:4web:5
The year also saw Roan garnering critical acclaim and industry recognition. She was named one of Spotify’s, VEVO DSCVR, and Ones To Watch Artists to Watch in 2024, and earned Amazon Music’s Breakthrough Artist of 2023.web:9 By October 2024, she was a frontrunner for Grammy nominations, with predictions placing her in contention for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.web:10 Her eventual win for Best New Artist at the 67th Grammy Awards in February 2025, where she advocated for better wages and healthcare for artists in her acceptance speech, marked a pinnacle of her breakout year.web:4 Roan’s 2024 was a testament to her growing influence, setting the stage for an even brighter future.
Cultural Impact: A Voice for Queer Identity
Chappell Roan’s breakout year in 2024 was not just about chart success; it was also about her profound cultural impact, particularly as a voice for queer identity. As a lesbian and demisexual artist, Roan has been unapologetic about her sexuality, using her music to explore themes of queer love, self-acceptance, and compulsory heterosexuality.web:4 "Good Luck, Babe!" brought these themes into the mainstream, addressing the struggles of a queer woman denying her feelings for Roan in favor of societal expectations.web:0 This narrative resonated deeply with the LGBTQ+ community, earning Roan the title of a "queer pop icon" and a leader in the "lesbian pop renaissance" on music charts.web:4web:14
Roan’s authenticity and bold expression of her queerness have inspired young women to embrace their own sexuality, with her music rejecting the male gaze and rewriting the rules of lovelorn pop.web:4 Her campy, drag queen-influenced aesthetic—often described as a "tacky pop star" persona—has been a key part of her appeal, drawing comparisons to 1980s icons like Kate Bush and Cyndi Lauper.web:0web:4 Rolling Stone likened watching her performances to "watching Michelangelo craft the statue of David in real time," highlighting her visionary approach to performance art.web:4 Roan’s openness about her mental health, including her diagnosis of bipolar II disorder at age 22, has also connected with fans, as she credits therapy and medication for helping her maintain balance.web:4
Despite her success, Roan faced challenges, including backlash for speaking out against obsessive fan behavior and harassment, which she addressed publicly in August 2024.web:3web:17 This sparked a broader conversation about the double standards female artists face in the industry, with Roan refusing to conform to sexist stereotypes.web:3 Her resilience in the face of misogyny, combined with her support from peers like Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, and Billie Eilish, underscored her role as a cultural trailblazer.web:14 Roan’s 2024 achievements, including a guest lecture at Harvard Medical School, further highlighted her influence beyond music, cementing her status as a cultural icon for the queer community and beyond.web:4
Looking Forward: Chappell Roan’s Future in Music
As Chappell Roan’s breakout year of 2024 came to a close, her trajectory in the music industry pointed toward an even more promising future. The release of "The Giver" on March 14, 2025, marked her first single since "Good Luck, Babe!," hinting at a new direction with its country-tinged sound.web:5 Roan’s win for Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammys, along with nominations for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year, positioned her as a formidable contender in the industry.web:4 Her promise to “say something controversial” in a Grammy acceptance speech, should she win, reflected her boldness and willingness to challenge the status quo.web:17
Roan’s upcoming projects and performances are highly anticipated. Following her sold-out Midwest Princess Tour and European tour dates in 2024, she is expected to headline more festivals and potentially embark on a larger world tour in 2025, building on her record-breaking festival turnouts at Lollapalooza and Governors Ball.web:9web:18 Her collaboration with artists like Sabrina Carpenter, with whom she performed a duet of "Hot to Go!" during Rodrigo’s GUTS World Tour, suggests potential for more high-profile partnerships.web:18 Roan’s appearance in Netflix’s A Nonsense Christmas with Carpenter in December 2024 further showcased her versatility and appeal in mainstream media.web:4
Looking ahead, Roan’s influence on pop music and queer culture is likely to grow. Her unique blend of 1980s-inspired pop, bold lyrics, and unapologetic authenticity has positioned her as “your favorite artist’s favorite artist,” a moniker she proudly embraces.web:14 With a growing fanbase and a sound that continues to evolve, Roan is poised to redefine pop music for a new generation. As she navigates the challenges of fame, her commitment to self-expression and advocacy for better treatment of artists will likely shape her legacy, making her a lasting figure in the music industry.
