Chappell Roan, the Gen Z pop princess who reached superstardom seemingly overnight, took home the Grammy for best new artist Sunday night in Los Angeles.
Roan, who rose to fame last year with hits such as “Good Luck, Babe!” “Hot to Go!” and “Pink Pony Club,” delivered one of her unapologetic, fiery performances with her trademark drag aesthetic during the ceremony at Cryto.com Area.
She won the coveted best new artist Grammy in a year when the category was crowded with hitmakers: Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, Shaboozey and Teddy Swims all were nominated, along with Benson Boone, Khruangbin and Raye.
Although she was recognized as a new artist, Roan is far from new to the music scene. She was signed to Atlantic Records as a teen, prompting her to move to L.A. in 2018, but she was dropped by the label after her early work didn’t immediately resonate with audiences.
Her second shot at a music career a few years later proved successful. Her debut LP, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” reached No. 1 on Billboard charts.
The queer artist’s bittersweet relationship with fame — the fandom that came so quickly and on such a grand scale — has shaped many of her public appearances and her persona.
Roan was also nominated for five other awards Sunday: album of the year, song of the year, record of the year, best pop vocal album and best pop solo performance.
