OF PONIES, PRINCESSES AND UNICORNS: CHAPPELL'S SNL TRIUMPH AND BEYOND

Chappell Roan’s stardom—and likely impending superstardom—has been evident for some time. Even so, her 11/2 Saturday Night Live appearance solidified her status as not only one of pop’s most substantial young artists but one of the most compelling, creative voices in the LGBTQ+ community.

“Pink Pony Club,” the extraordinary coming-out and coming-of-age tale that was the first of two songs she performed on SNL, has emerged as a true gay anthem.

This is momentous for a lot of reasons. In 1980 Diana Ross had a smash with “I’m Coming Out,” which became one of the very first gay anthems and arguably the biggest up to that time. But because the mainstream public would likely not have accepted that narrative from a male artist back then, Ms. Ross had to deliver the message as a kind of surrogate.

Now, Island star Roan can tell her own story on behalf of herself and countless young women (and countless other queer people).

As has been remarked, Roan is really the first gay pop star who was already out when she arrived in the spotlight, and her skill and finesse at illuminating her experiences with joy, humor and heart has changed the pop narrative. The rapturous response of pink-hatted crowds from Lollapalooza to Coachella who knew all the steps to the “PPC” dance and sang along at the tops of their lungs, are all the proof you need.

As Justin Tranter, the hit writer-producer who contributed to her extraordinary album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, recalled to our own Craig Marks, he knew from the start how important the song would be. Before working with Roan, he said, “I listened to ‘Pink Pony Club,’ and I was, like, Oh yeah, this is possibly the best song ever written. It's like an American Songbook standard.”

The song is now #35 on Spotify’s U.S. Top 50, while other Roan cuts continue their reign on the leaderboard. “Pony” and Princess both galloped to #2 at iTunes shortly after the SNL telecast aired, indicating that Chappell had made a distinct impression on the show’s largely upper-demo audience.

The other number she did on Saturday Night Live is brand new—so new, in fact, that it isn’t even on DSPs yet, and the full video clips of her performance of the song have been taken down. It’s another crackling LGBTQ+ jam, funny and fierce, but it’s also a departure for Roan, because it’s a country song.

“The Giver,” which she and her distaff band assayed in striking Western wear, is a rollicking, twangy tune making the case that a cowgirl (as a “giver” of a certain kind of love) can satisfy a woman better than any cowboy can. Its perfect refrain—“I get the job done”—will soon be everywhere.

Will this week’s Grammy nominations properly recognize the astounding Rise of a great artist? Stay tuned.