Chappell Roan has spoken out about the perils of fame, describing in an interview with SZA how much she cares about the public’s reaction to the person behind the music.
The singer conducted a chat with SZA for Interview, touching on everything from fairies to Christianity. Near the end of the conversation, SZA asked Roan if she “gave a fuck about the backlash” to her being a public figure, which she explained touched a nerve when it crossed a certain threshold.
“I didn’t, until people started hating me for me and not for my art,” she 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.
“When things are taken out of context, people assume so much about you,” she continued. “I didn’t realize I’d care so much. When it comes to my art, I’m like, ‘Bitch, you can think whatever you want. You are allowed to hate it with all your guts.’ But when it comes to me and my personality, it’s like, ‘Damn. Am I the most insufferable bitch of our generation?’”
Roan elaborated a bit further, stating that it hurt her when criticisms were lobbed her way. “It makes me cry,” she said. “I don’t know if it will ever feel okay to hear someone say something really hateful about me.”
The singer has made headlines over the past year for speaking her mind, notably after she called out photographers for their rude behavior at events. “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. Am I okay with the backlash of speaking my mind? That’s where I am right now.”
