Chappell Roan Says She’ll Leave the Music Industry Over Fan Harassment

Chappell Roan might step back from music because of how fans and the media treat her. "If I do not stand up for myself, I will quit because I cannot bear this. I cannot bear people touching me who I don't know. I cannot bear people following me," she said in an recent interview.

The singer faced backlash after setting boundaries with fans in 2024. Her decision came after incidents of stalking and unwanted contact, which also affected her family.

She spoke bluntly about her treatment in the podcast. "I've been treated better at my doughnut shop job than I have on a fucking carpet. People on the news treat me worse than how customers did," she said.

Drawing links to past stars, Roan compared her experience to Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and Paris Hilton's struggles. "That behavior is still being... they're still doing it, and it's just like, do you want me to just get to the point where I become agoraphic or so stressed out or so anxious to perform," she said.

Despite the initial backlash, she received a lot of support from other big names. Stars like Miley Cyrus, Stevie Nicks, Rachel Zegler, and Daniel Craig all stood with her. Olivia Rodrigo even credits Roan for her guidance on handling industry stress.

Her mental well-being sits at the heart of this choice. "I can't do this if I'm not trying to protect who I am. Otherwise, I will either quit or just be so severely depressed that I have to go back to the hospital," she shared with the podcast hosts.

She had to cancel two festival appearances due to stress last fall. Throughout her time in music, she's been open about living with bipolar disorder and depression.

Yet her shows go on. Roan is scheduled to perform at Reading and Leeds festivals in August, with stops in Edinburgh and County Laois.