BeforeChappell Roanwas hailed as pop’s bold new breakout star, she was just a teenager with a dream—and a rejection.In a new interview with W Magazine, the rising artist revealed she once auditioned forThe Voiceat just 15 years old, only to be dismissed before even making it to a Blind Audition. “When I did theVoiceaudition, the producer or whoever the f— was watching did not even look up from his phone He was like, ‘OK, next.’ AndI went up there and sang a cappella, the scariest thing ever.He never really looked at me." Years later, she’s made it big on her own terms, with a growing fanbase and critical acclaim to match. But she recalled not only being rejected fromThe Voicebut another popular competition series too.
‘The Voice’ Wasn’t the Only Competition Show To Reject Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan recalls auditioning forThe Voicewith the song “Stay,” by Rihanna. “That was when the Bruno Mars song ‘When I Was Your Man’ was really big, and I thought I was so unique in switching it around and singing ‘When you were my man’ and making it about gender,” she recalled. “But every girl was like, ‘I’m switching it around.'”
Unfortunately, she didn’t makeThe Voice. But it wasn’t her first reality competition TV rodeo. She was also rejected for another reality competition show when she was even younger. “WithAmerica’s Got Talent, I was 13, and we flew to Austin, Texas, and waited in line with thousands of people at 4 a.m. I sang ‘True Colors,’ by Cyndi Lauper. Did not make it either,” she shared.
Chappell Roan Didn’t Need ‘The Voice’ to Make it On Her Own
Based on Chapell Roan’s recent track record, she’s been able to build her legacy without a reality television platform. While it wouldn’t take off until years later, she wrote “Pink Pony Club” in 2020, which would become one of her breakout tracks, launching her to super stardom. By the time “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” came to the mainstream in 2023, she had become a household name.
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She opened up for Olivia Rodrigo and performed at Coachella as her Spotify listenership bounced 500%. She won the Grammy for Best New Artist, appeared onSNL, and has now been announced as a guest judge onRuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10. Needless to say, her rejection helped to motivate her and forge her own path. Perhaps an appearance onThe Voicemay have expedited her rise in the industry.Timing is everything, andThe Voicewas not right at the time.She’s an example of never giving up on your dreams.
Maybe Chappell Roan … or the World Wasn’t Quite Ready When She Auditioned for Reality TV
Perhaps the Chappell Roan who would have appeared onThe Voicewould not have been the fully evolved version of herself. In fact, she’s still not in her final form. LikeLady GagaandMadonnabefore her, Chappell Roan has the ability to transform. No two performances are ever the same. The theatricality and magic that she exudes while constantly re-inventing herself in her fledgling career is astonishing.
Her flair for camp and drag history allows her to stand out in a manner that very few can.She started with pure pop melodies with tracks like “Hot to Go” and has nowbrought country to the world with “The Giver.“Her artistry goes deep. Maybe the only other recent pop star who has experienced a similar journey of attempting one iteration on a reality show to a brand-new character isBenson Boone. After he quitAmerican Idol, he found his niche, flipping into our hearts with a fluid aesthetic that likely wouldn’t have resonated onIdol.
