Music
Chappell Roan On The Surprising Grammy Award She Really Wants To Win
Most musicians aspire to earn a Grammy, but Chappell Roan just wants one.
This year has seen the 26-year-old pop artist skyrocket to superstardom. Her debut album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” topped the Billboard 200 Chart, trailing only Taylor Swift; she played to sold-out crowds at Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits festivals; and she won best new artist at the MTV Video Music Awards.
So, what better way to round off her incredible year than by earning her first Grammy? With the Recording Academy voting deadline on October 15, Roan appears to be a lock for a Best New Artist nomination, among other top categories. However, she has stated that she is unconcerned about receiving plaudits.
“I’m kind of hoping I don’t win, because then everyone will get off my ass,” she stated in a recent interview.
She has also stated that she is unconcerned about the media attention surrounding her recent professional accomplishment.
“I’ve never given a f**k about the charts or being on the radio, but it’s so crazy how industry people are taking me more seriously than ever before,” she told Interview magazine this year. “I’m like, “I’ve been doing this the entire time, bitch.”
Chappell Roan On The Surprising Grammy Award She Really Wants To Win
But there is one prize that Roan is very interested in, and it is in a category that most people are unfamiliar with.
The Grammy Award for Best Recording Package recognizes an album’s visual appearance and is presented to the project’s art director. Earlier this week, Roan and her creative director, Ramisha Sattar, shared a video on social media to call for support in the category.
“Please, please, please put some type of energy, a spell, whatever, that we get nominated for the Grammy,” Roan is quoted as saying in the clip. “It’s not aired, and most people are unaware of it, but winning a Grammy for both of us would be fantastic. We need to be nominated.”
Roan has made quite a few headlines. First, some interesting interviews that got political. Then came her revelation that she would vote for Vice President Kamala Harris, despite her hesitation to make a public support. Roan recently made headlines when she canceled festival engagements to prioritize her mental health.
Roan has not given any media interviews or canceled appearances since her endorsement, but in an email with CNN this week, she revealed why she wants to highlight her creative director, Sattar, whom she credits with most of her success.
“She is responsible for my aesthetics, merchandise, and overall campy vibe. She brings the camp into the initiative. That is extremely unique, and it deserves to be highlighted,” Roan told CNN about Sattar.
Sattar, who first met Roan on Instagram when the singer spotted one of her artistic collages, is in charge of developing the over-the-top, Gen Z Lisa Frank-esque style that has become synonymous with Roan’s drag-inspired stage presence. Sattar produces the animations for Roan’s presentations, selects her single covers, and helps with the star’s cosmetics and clothing.
“She is just as much Chappell Roan as I am, honestly,” Roan told CNN. “She is Chappell Roan too.”
This week, Roan and Sattar released a paper doll kit to accompany her vinyl album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” which features a theater curtain wrapper over the album cover, allowing fans to make their own stage. Sattar designed the package, which she and Roan collaborated on and submitted to the Grammys. They believe that the paper dolls will inspire creativity among Roan’s music fans.
“The paper dolls were something we were always dreaming about,” Sattar told CNN via email. “When I first developed the vinyl with Chappell, I knew there would be more to come. The idea of a theater frame that fans could modify and be creative with was very appealing to us both. I hope that my art inspires creativity and encourages others to make something with their hands. The delight of tactile creativity is something many children miss out on as they grow older, therefore I enjoy encouraging frivolous play.”
Sattar describes working with Roan as “like craft night, every night” and credits her closest friend for providing a “clear vision to each project.”
In an industry where artists receive public praise and accolades, Roan wishes to share the stage with her crew.
Chappell Roan On The Surprising Grammy Award She Really Wants To Win
“This project is more than just my ideas. There’s a large crew working on it. It’s working because of everyone’s inventiveness,” Roan told CNN, calling Sattar her “twin flame.”
When the Grammy nominees are released on November 8, Roan and Sattar hope to be honored in the packaging category, and that the prize presentation will telecast during the live performance.
“Ramisha inspires me because she leads with her inner kid and what she finds cute and makes her happy. That is how I strive to manage my project: as authentic as possible while honoring my inner kid,” Roan remarked of their collaboration. “We inspire each other, but I feel like she has opened so many doors emotionally for me with art and letting go.”
SOURCE | CNN
