Grammy-winning singer Chappell Roan is speaking out about the emotional toll of online criticism.
In a recent conversation with SZA for Interview magazine, Roan shared that she used to not care about backlash, but things changed when people started hating her for who she is, rather than her art.
“I didn’t, until people started hating me for me and not for my art,” Roan said.
“When it’s not about my art anymore, it’s like, ‘They hate me because I’m Kayleigh, not because they hate the songs that I make.’ That’s when it changed.” Roan emphasised that fans only know her public persona, Chappell Roan, not her true self, Kayleigh.
The Casual crooner admitted that reading hateful comments can be particularly painful. “It makes me cry,” she revealed.
“I don’t know if it will ever feel okay to hear someone say something really hateful about me.” SZA responded by sharing her own struggles with criticism, feeling relieved that Roan could relate to her vulnerability.
The singer is known for speaking her mind, whether it’s about inappropriate fan behavior, LGBTQ+ rights, or record labels.
She’s also not afraid to stand up for herself, as seen in her confrontation with a photographer on the red carpet. “I will yell at a bitch on the carpet,” she said. “I think that right now in my career, I’m just trying to see if the way I’ve been doing it is sustainable.”
