Los Angeles, CA — Rising alt-pop star Chappell Roan, 25, clinched the Grammy for Best New Artist at Sunday’s ceremony, cementing her status as music’s breakout act of 2024. The Missouri-born singer, real name Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, triumphed over heavyweights like Ice Spice and Noah Kahan, delivering a tearful speech at L.A.’s Crypto Arena. “This is for every weirdo who turned pain into power,” she declared, hoisting her gramophone.
Roan’s win follows the viral success of her debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (September 2023), which Billboard hailed as “a masterclass in queer pop storytelling.” Lead single “Good Luck, Babe!”—a synth-soaked kiss-off to an ex-lover—peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100 and dominated TikTok trends for weeks. Variety notes her victory marks the first time an openly queer artist has won Best New Artist since Lizzo in 2019.
The win wasn’t without controversy: Some fans argued Roan’s years-long grind (she signed to Atlantic Records at 17) stretched the “new artist” definition. The Recording Academy defended eligibility, citing her 2023 breakthrough.
Roan, known for campy red-carpet looks and raucous live shows, shouted out her LGBTQ+ fanbase: “Y’all made me feel seen before the industry did.” Her 2024 Midwest Princess Tour sold out within hours, with Rolling Stone calling it “the year’s most exhilarating pop spectacle.”
As for what’s next? Roan teased a collab with drag icon Trixie Mattel and a sophomore album due late 2024. “This is just the prologue,” she told reporters post-show. For a singer who once bartended to fund her demos, the Grammy cements a Cinderella story—no glass slipper required.
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Congrats to Chappell Roan on her well-deserved Grammy win! She's truly one of the most talented and inspiring artists out there
Chappell Roan's win for Best New Artist is well deserved - she's been killing the music scene for years!