Chappell Roan
The Crocodile, Seattle, WA
03.11.23
From teen YouTube star to queer stage icon, Chappell Roan is on a roll. While we await what’s sure to be a showstopping debut full-length, Roan stopped by Seattle’s Crocodile for a sold-out show during her “Naked in North America” tour. The crowd — full of couples making out, queer friends in full-on glitz, and Macklemore and his wife at the back of the room — packed the showroom in excitement, dancing from the very start. Opening the night were three local drag queens, which got the energy up and the dollars flying, before Roan herself took the stage, opening with one of her most popular singles, “Naked in Manhattan.”
Somewhere between queer theatre kid and glitzy radio pop, Roan has managed to carve a deep groove for herself in today’s pop landscape, demonstrated by a crowd who knew all the words to her big hits. And her emphatic personality, sparkly, homemade, small town girl gets big but still celebrates the weird, is refreshing. Her lyrics are honest, vulnerable, and often funny. New track “Coffee”, about when an ex asks you to get coffee (which the crowd all booed at), was a rare sad song accompanied by acoustic guitar. But then there was “Red Wine Supernova” that had the crowd clapping on the first beat.
If you’re looking for something new to dance to in your kitchen, Chappell Roan is it. And we all want more.
Review and photos by Stephanie Dore
Chappell Roan
