Chappell Roan is redefining the modern pop star. Rising to fame as a powerful, authentic voice, Roan has captured the hearts of millions with her bold, drag-inspired outfits and her raw lyrics and melodies. After opening for Olivia Rodrigo last spring, her career skyrocketed, with hits like “Casual” landing among her seven Billboard Hot 100 entries. Her performance at Lollapalooza this summer drew one of the largest crowds in history, according to Block Club Chicago. Roan’s expedited fame has cemented her place as one of the fastest rising pop-stars of the decade, as her streams have multiplied nearly 20 times since the beginning of the year. Roan is quickly becoming a household name and a LGBTQ pop icon. However, with immense fame comes immense scrutiny. Recent controversies have left Roan in the face of Cancel Culture.

The magnitude of Roan’s fame has certainly been intense. Back in June, a video began circulating social media platforms of Roan breaking down at one of her concerts, tearing up as she reflected on the “overwhelming feeling” that had come from her rapidly escalating fame. ”I think my career is just kind of going really fast and it’s really hard to keep up,” said Roan.

This moment, initially received with positivity and support from fans, was escalated when Roan took to TikTok about her frustration with “weird fans,” commenting on “boundaries with fans” and releasing two videos on this topic.

”If you saw a random woman on the street, would you yell at her from the car window? Would you harass her in public?” Roan angrily reflected on spending the last few months being bombarded with paparazzi and obsessed fans trying to interact with her. One particularly upsetting moment Roan faced was when her family was “stalked and followed” according to Roan in an interview with The Guardian.

This statement caused mixed standpoints from fans, who have taken the controversy to social media platforms such as X and TikTok. On one hand, despite her desire to be treated like a “normal person,” Roan’s recent rise to fame makes her, in fact, not just a “random woman.” Many fans feel as though she should accept the responsibility that comes with her newfound popularity.

When asked her opinion, Esther Detweiler, Lane Tech senior, said that Roan should “develop thicker skin.”

“It’s unprofessional for her to fight people on the internet every time someone says something even slightly negative about her,” said Detweiler.

On the other hand, other fans find that there was nothing wrong with her message, it was simply the harsh delivery that was harmful. Setting boundaries wasn’t the issue, it was the way it was handled. Despite fans’ love for Roan’s feisty, confident personality on stage, it was not received as well in this context.

Oak Park River Forest junior and Chappell Roan fan Kiki Mattes said, “she had every right to call out her fans. She is still a person, so she deserves some level of respect. She just should have done it differently.”

Even more fans, however, find no problem in Roan’s approach, and advocate for the normalization of celebrities saying “no” to their fans.

DePaul College Prep senior Elsa Furjanic shared her support for Roan: “people get too comfortable with celebrities and they automatically think that they deserve to know every detail and personal information about them because they made them famous.”

Roan‘s views on fan boundaries are no new idea, as music stars such as Justin Bieber and Tyler the Creator have brought up this same issue in past years. The framework and advocacy for maintaining the humanity of celebrities is not incorrect or absurd, but Roan’s approach was received as such.

Amidst the controversy, Roan canceled two highly anticipated festival performances at “All Things Go” in New York and Maryland, providing just 24 hours’ notice.

Even further into her spiral into cancel culture came her views on the recent election. Prior to the election results, Roan released a video about her opinions on endorsement. She told The Guardian in an interview that she refuses to endorse either candidate. Her released TikTok solidified this point. This was a shock to many of Roan’s fans, as many expected their beloved LGBTQ icon to convey unwavering support for democratic candidate Kamala Harris.

She immediately received backlash from fans, and made another TikTok video for clarification. She explained that she was, in fact, voting for Harris—whose name she mispronounced—but she did not feel strongly enough to “put [her] entire name and project behind one [candidate].” She reflected on her “obvious” hatred of “right policies,” but her disappointment in “some policies on the left, too.” Roan’s opinions have yet again caused controversy within the internet: some agreeing with her, and some disagreeing.

“She should’ve clearly stood on one side or the other,” said Jones College Prep senior Julia Riesman. “Celebrities don’t realize how much their voice counts.”

Roan’s quick rise to fame followed by several controversies have left fans and critics alike wondering what’s next. It is no secret that Roan’s incredible talent and unapologetic authenticity set the stage for the possibility of an incredible pop career. With the right support and platform management, she could very well become one of the biggest stars in history. For now, fans sit and wait.