Chappell Roan live in London: pop’s biggest new star shines brightly
On the first of three nights at Brixton Academy, Chappell Roan shows why she'll be playing far bigger rooms next time around.
By Nick Reilly
We’re barely thirty seconds into Chappell Roan‘s first of three nights in London and the upper balcony of Brixton Academy is bouncing. An actual constant, non-stop bounce underfoot which leaves you vaguely questioning whether the upper half of this storied art-deco room is about to give way.
That’s testament to the power of Roan, whose dizzying ascent has seen her land her on the cover of this very magazine, become the breakout pop star of 2024 and garner a following of near-religious devotees who, as her first Brixton gig shows, will scream every single word back at her. It’s the kind of night that leaves you in no doubt that it’s the last time in a while she’ll play a venue this size. You sense that arenas and, in time, stadiums, are very much on the horizon here.
This ascent began last year when the Missouri singer achieved cult status with her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess – which told the story of her own desire to escape small town USA for a place where she could be unapologetically herself – whether that was through her sexuality or unashamed love of drag culture.
Comparisons to an early Madonna naturally followed, while packed crowds at Lollapalooza over the summer and a breakout, Joan Of Arc inspired performance of ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ at the MTV VMAs cemented the feeling that she’s on the same trajectory as the Queen of Pop.
This London show, then, sees Roan delivering her own tour de force that more than justifies the hype. The theatrics are been kept to a minimum, but Roan’s faultless performance – backed by a three-piece band who bolster the show – show that a star has truly arrived.
There’s relentless fun with songs like her breakout hit ‘Hot To Go!’ – complete with 5000 fans showing off the song’s alphabet dance routine – while a rare rendition of the soaring ballad ‘Kaleidoscope’ marks one of the only times that a fever pitch crowd is truly silenced.
Acknowledging her LGBTQ+ fanbase who have embraced Roan’s love of drag culture (including the two drag artists who were specifically chosen by the singer to open the show), she says: “Thank you for being here. You belong here. You are meant to be here. You are cherished, and I want you to feel that. Thank god gay people exist!”
While the biggest response is reserved for ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ – the song which sent Roan supernova – the fact that every single lyric is sung back by the crowd confirms that she’s set to be here for the long run.
It’s no surprise that Roan has been open about her understandable struggles with fame – given this particularly dizzying ascent – but the show cements the overwhelming sense that talent like her’s was never going to stay bottled up for too long. In the storied history of Brixton Academy – which has played host to the likes of The Clash, the late Amy Winehouse and Lady Gaga – it feels like Roan’s name will be the next on that list. An undeniable ‘I was there’ moment from a star who is destined for the biggest stages of them all.