Typically, I am in tune with what is popping off in Pop music. As someone who thoroughly enjoys so much modern Pop, I usually know what artists are coming up that people are latching onto. Somehow, I completely skipped over Chappell Roan’s album when it came out last autumn. I am a little disappointed in myself, as from what I have heard, this is a feminist-centered and sonically thrilling Pop album that is usually right up my alley. To be fair, most Pop music fans slept on this one when it came out. Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess was released in September of 2023 to little fanfare. It was very well-received critically, however, with many publications considering it among their top records of the year. Chappell Roan has seen a meteoric ascension to stardom in 2024, though. This all started when she was selected late last year to be the opening act for Olivia Rodrigo on her GUTS tour. This put more eyes on Chappell Roan than ever before, with some of her live performances becoming big online; she was praised for her zany sound and extraordinary stage presence. Chappell Roan’s momentum has continued to zoom as 2024 has progressed, as a couple of songs from her debut album have gone viral on TikTok. Songs like ‘HOT TO GO!,’ ‘Red Wine Supernova,’ ‘Pink Pony Club’ and many others have been taking the internet by storm over the last several months. This success of TikTok has turned Chappell Roan into a budding Pop superstar who needs to be paid attention to. Because of how much hype so many of these songs are getting, I decided I needed to go back to the album they came off of and see what it is all about. That said, here is how I feel about Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from this record, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole.
The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess begins with one of the songs that has been going viral that I did not mention above, ‘Femininomenon.’ This track has become integral in the surge of popularity of presidential candidate Kamala Harris on TikTok; it is being used in edits to encourage people to vote for her in the upcoming election. ‘Femininomenon’ is an excellent opening track, as it is exhilarating and interesting. The song starts with a Country Pop tone that immediately made me think of early Taylor Swift. About a minute or so into the song, after Chappell Roan calls out the song lacks a beat, a Disco-esque beat with an industrial tint comes in. This beat gives the song so much energy and makes it so fun. Chappell Roan’s vocal performance on ‘Femininomenon’ is frankly excellent. Her tone when she sings is so captivating, and the quirky talking bits throughout the track are so catchy. In ‘Femininomenon,’ Chappell Roan sings about being over men and starting to focus on trying to date women. The aforementioned ‘Red Wine Supernova’ comes next. This track is arguably Chappell Roan’s biggest so far, as it has become a song of the summer(even though it actually came out last year). ‘Red Wine Supernova’ is another track with an early to mid-2000s Country Pop-tint to it. Once again, the Taylor Swift influence is definitely prominent. I can also hear a beat of 2000’s Pop-Rock in this instrumental. The sunny and twangy melody has a bit of power behind it; the drum pattern sort of has a Pop-Rock feeling as well. Chappell Roan’s vocal performance on ‘Red Wine Supernova’ is just as cool as it is on the first track. The tone she sings with is a bit more understated, talking bits add so much excitement and texture. On ‘Red Wine Supernova,’ Chappell Roan sings about trying to get a new partner in her bed and not worrying about some of the red flags that may be associated with them. ‘After Midnight’ changes up the tone from the first two tracks. This song is more clubby and does not have the Country-Pop tint of the opening songs. The melody has a warm and funky tone, and the beat will get anyone moving. There is a bit of a Disco feeling to ‘After Midnight,’ but there is also a definitely 2000s Pop element. When I hear ‘After Midnight,’ it brings me back to tracks like Katy Perry’s ‘Teenage Dream.’ Chappell Roan’s vocal performance on ‘After Midnight’ is delicate and sweet. Her vocals on this track add to its coziness and make it all-encompassing. In ‘After Midnight,’ Chappell Roan sings about wanting to let loose and get into some trouble while out at the bars at night. ‘Coffee’ brings the energy of the first three tracks to a halt. This is the first instance on the album where Chappell Roan shows a softer and more subdued side to her music. The melody for ‘Coffee’ is sparkling yet melancholy. The melody is driven by a slightly somber piano riff that at times is complemented by various string instruments to make it feel full. I like how the melody varies IN emphasis, as it makes ‘Coffee’ very interesting. Chappell Roan’s vocals on this track are soft and rangey, adding its emotional and cute sound. On ‘Coffee,’ Chappell sings of wanting to keep reuniting with her ex, even though she knows it will lead to her feeling worse in the end.
The Taylor Swift influence on this album returns with the song ‘Casual.’ This track is a lot slower and calmer than the first two tracks, which also felt inspired by Taylor. Instead of being reminiscent of tracks like ‘Story of Us’ or ‘Love Story,’ this one reminds me more of tracks like ‘Begin Again’ or ‘Enchanted.’ ‘Casual’ does not have as much personality as the first three tracks in my opinion. The instrumental is fine, but nothing about it draws me in a crazy amount. Chappell Roan’s vocals on ‘Casual’ are very nice(she hits some impressive notes at the end of the track), but they do not do enough to cure the mundane element. On ‘Casual,’ Chappell Roan sings about being in a “situationship” with someone she is starting to develop stronger feelings for but does not think those feelings are reciprocated. ‘Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl’ has a totally different sound and energy than anything before it. This track immediately made me think of the late 1980s and early 1990s. ‘Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl’ has elements of Synth-Pop similar to artists like Madonna and Cyndi Lauper, but also has elements that make me think of Hi-Nrg artists like Real McCoy(I also get a bit of Talking Heads influence on this one as well). The melody for this track is so fuzzy and pleasant. The beat is fast and punchy, full of bass that will make any speaker pound. Chappell Roan’s vocals on this track are awesome. She sings with so much power and authority, making this track feel larger than life. On ‘Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl,’ Chappell Roan sings about how her date does not match her energy at all, and how she thinks they are too boring to keep up with her. Following what is probably my favorite track of the album to this point, we get the hit single ‘HOT TO GO!.’ The 1980s Pop influence is also very prevalent in this one. There is also a bit of a Disco feeling to this track as well. ‘HOT TO GO!’ seems influenced by artists like Abba, but I can hear Madonna in this one as well. The melody for ‘HOT TO GO!’ is vivid and fuzzy, and the beat is bouncy and groovy. Chappell Roan delivers one of her best vocal performances of the record on ‘HOT TO GO!,’ which is saying a lot. Her personality shines on this track in the best way and makes it so fun to listen to. On ‘HOT TO GO!,’ Chappell Roan sings of a potential hook-up, trying to get her new fling to come home with her. The 1980s Synth-Pop feeling continues again on ‘My Kink is Karma.’ There is also definitely a Taylor Swift element to this one as well. This song is a lot more deliberate than the last two tracks. The synths that drive this melody are pretty weighty and mighty, and the beat hits hard but is very steady. Whereas the previous tracks that made me think of Taylor Swift had instrumentals that had elements that reminded me of her, the thing about ‘My Kink Is Karma’ that makes me think of Taylor is the vocals. There is something about the way Chappell sings this track that is so Taylor-coded. This is certainly a compliment because her tone on this one is what makes it so engaging. On ‘My Kink Is Karma,’ Chappell Roan sings about enjoying watching an ex fail at everything they do because she loves karma.
‘Picture You’ is another track where Chappell Roan considerably slows things down. Frankly, this song sounds like nothing else on the album before it. This song does have a Country sound, but it is way different than the Country I have heard so far on this record. ‘Picture You’ sounds like it came from the 1950s. The twang of the guitar riff makes me think of old-school Country. There is an element of the tone and tempo of ‘Picture You’ that sounds like the dainty Pop Rock music of that era as well. Although the melody is very stripped back, Chappell Roan’s vocals are powerful. I really like this contrast, as it makes this song hit hard. In ‘Picture You,’ Chappell Roan sings about being infatuated with someone and wondering if the feelings are reciprocated because she can not tell how this person feels about her. ‘Kaleidoscope’ is another song that shows the softer side of Chappell Roan’s artists. Like the previous track, this one has a very delicate and charming sound. ‘Kaleidoscope’ is a truly acoustic Pop solely driven by a piano riff. Some very light string instruments are played in the background that complement it nicely, but this song is driven by a very sweet and celestial piano riff. Chappell Roan delivers yet another great vocal performance on ‘Kaleidoscope.’ She exhibits some of her best range on this one, hitting high and low notes with a level of emphasis that makes the song really pop. Her vocals make ‘Kaleidoscope’ very powerful, even if the instrumental is very soft. On ‘Kaleidoscope,’ Chappell Roan sings about trying to accept that a former partner just does not want to be with her anymore. She is not going to fight for this person, as she realizes she has to set them free for them to find what they want. The 1980s Pop influence is back on the track ‘Pink Pony Club.’ Instead of sounds like the bubbly Synth-Pop or artists like Madonna, this one reminds me more of the Pop-Rock by artists like The Bangles or Pat Benatar. The synths that drive this melody are complemented by a powerful Hair-Metal-esque guitar riff that comes in and out, making this track feel so huge. The beat for this track is so spunky, and will make anyone want to dance when they hear it. ‘Pink Pony Club’ has a Dance floor anthem written all over it. Chappell Roan’s vocals on ‘Pink Pony Club’ are not the most thrilling of the album, but that is okay. The more subdued way she sings this track makes the instrumental all the more enthralling. On ‘Pink Pony Club,’ sings about the conflict in her mind of enjoying the fast life that she loves and coming to terms with her conservative mother’s lack of acceptance of this lifestyle.
‘Naked In Manhattan’ is an additional track that is so reminiscent of 1980 Synth Pop. The Madonna/Cyndi Lauper influence comes back on this one in a big way. The synths that drive this melody are so bright and luscious, and the beat is eccentric and groovy. I enjoy the sound effects that complement the beat and the varying levels of distortion in the synths, as they give this track such an interesting texture. Chappell Roan gives one of her signature dynamic vocal performances on ‘Naked In Manhattan.’ Her vocals make the track an extra track and give it so much life. On ‘Naked In Manhattan,’ Chappell Roan sings about enjoying herself in New York and living as crazily as possible. ‘California’ has an instrumental that feels like it is taking the listener for a ride. The song starts out with a soft, acoustic sound, but gains strength as it goes on. The melody for this one is driven by a vivid piano riff that becomes complemented by synths and other instruments as the song moves along. The beat that comes in about halfway through the track is very frenetic, giving the song a bit of an anxious feeling. Chappell Roan gives such an interesting vocal performance on this track. The raspiness in her gives this song much power and texture, making its sentiment hit so hard. In ‘California,’ Chappell Roan sings about how moving to California has not been all it was cracked up to be for her career or her happiness, and that she is starting to miss her hometown. ‘Guilty Pleasure’ is a track that takes some of the best elements of a couple of styles of music we have seen on this record. There is a distinct Country sound that is especially prevalent at the beginning of the track, but the luscious melody and quick beat that come in give the song a retro Synth-Pop feeling. The melody is driven by a twangy guitar riff that is complemented by other string instruments and synths as the song progresses. This song is an adventure to listen to. It is like Chappell Roan did not know if she wanted to close this album on a calm note or an anthemic note, so she decided to do both. I would not say that ‘Guilty Pleasure’ contains one of the top vocal performances, but that is okay. Her vocals are more than strong enough to keep me engaged as a listener(this is especially through the hook and through the yodeling bridge), and they do not overtake the power of the instrumental. In ‘Guilty Pleasure,’ Chappell Roan sings about giving in to her urges to be with this new person even if she knows they are not the most positive influence. ‘Guilty Pleasure’ is a very cool way to close out this record, as it takes elements of all the best things about this record and packages them all into one.
When artists go viral out of nowhere in the way Chappell Roan did, sometimes the quality of their music overall can be hit or miss. A lot of artists go viral for one particular unique sound and then struggle to capture the magic of that initial track(I will not name names, but the last artist I reviewed definitely applies to this idea). Chappell Roan, however, does not apply to this sentiment at all. Frankly, I do not know how The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess slipped through the cracks like it did. This album is excellent, and should have been a major hit when it came out last year. There is so much about The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess that makes me just great. Sonically, it is so diverse, but still flows so well and sounds extremely natural. The lyricism on this record is excellent. It is tongue and cheek yet deep at the same time; you get a look into the mind of Chappell Roan, with her opening up on this record but also keeping it comical. Chappell Roan’s vocals on The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess are awesome. She exhibits exquisite range, and her personality shines through in a manner that makes these tracks so engaging. My favorite thing about The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, though, is how carefree it sounds. This is an artist that is not being shackled down by any label or record executives telling them what to do, and I think that is so apparent in the way this album is written and organized. If I would have reviewed The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess last year when it came out, it may have been my album of the year. It is just that good. This is an album I am now going to be recommending to everyone, and it makes me so excited to see what Chappell does next.
EAST SIDE VIBES 