Chappell Roan says election remarks were taken ‘completely out of context’ after backlash

Chappell Roan has clarified her stance on the forthcoming US election, after recent comments about whether she was planning to endorse a presidential candidate sparked a fierce backlash online.

In a statement, the pop star doubled down on her nonpartisan stance as she declared she would “stand up for what’s right and what I believe in”, while confirming that she would not be voting for Donald Trump.

“I have encouraged people to use critical thinking skills, learn about what they’re voting for, learn about who they’re voting for and ask questions, and it’s being completely taken out of context, per usual,” Roan said in a TikTok shared on 24 September.

In recent months, the singer’s track “Femininonmenon” has been co-opted by Kamala Harris’s campaign team, as other celebrities including Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Chris Rock throw their support behind the Democratic candidate and her running mate, Tim Walz.

Speaking to The Guardian last week, Roan, 26, said she didn’t feel pressure to endorse someone as she has “so many issues with our government in every way”.

“There’s problems on both sides. I encourage people to use your critical thinking skills, use your vote – vote small, vote for what’s going on in your city,” she continued.

On social media, Roan’s remarks were attacked by some critics over her supposed “neutrality”, while others falsely claimed that she had implied she was a Trump supporter.

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Defending her remarks, Roan said: “There is nuance to what I say in interviews, and I think it’s important that people use critical thinking.

“I think it’s important for me to question authority and question world leaders and question myself, question my algorithm, question if some person that tweeted something about someone else is even true.”

She continued: “It’s important to question, because I think that’s how we move forward. This is my third election in voting, and the world is changing so rapidly, and I want to be part of the generation that changes things for good, because we need it.

“If you come to my shows, if you read my full interviews, if you literally know anything about me and what I stand for, you know that this is not lip service and this is not virtue signalling... that my actions have always paved the way for my project and the people who know me.

“Actions speak louder than words, and actions speak louder than an endorsement.”

Roan ended her TikTok by reading the full quote from her interview, which she said “some people are just not reading”.

“So hear it from my mouth, if you’ll still wondering: No, I’m not voting for Trump,” she said. “And yes, I will always question those in power and those making decisions over other people.

“And I will stand up for what’s right and what I believe in, and it’s always at the forefront of my project... and I’m sorry that you fell for the clickbait.”

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Elsewhere on social media, Roan was defended by many who pointed out that her remarks in The Guardian were consistent with her earlier political statements, including her vocal support of Palestine and her campaigning for trans rights.

“Chappell Roan is a vocal supporter of Palestine so everyone saying she’s a closet Republican for not endorsing Harris needs to get their finger off the quote button and understand why a Gen Z who’s been in the spotlight for less than a year might not want to align with the neolibs,” one fan wrote.

US journalist Kylie Cheung posted on X/Twitter: “It’s wildly stupid/ironic that hordes of liberals are calling Chappell Roan a Republican for making basic demands of Kamala Harris.”

In another post, which received more than 86,000 likes, a fan said: “Just a reminder that Chappell Roan is the artist who refused to play at the White House for Pride because she didn’t support the US government’s support of Israel, and who raises money at her concerts for Palestinian aid. I would think twice before calling her “cowardly” and “uneducated”.

This was in response to a tweet with 145,000 likes, which read: “This is about 10 million times worse than Taylor Swift hugging a Trump supporter. ‘Problems on both sides’ is the most cowardly, uneducated and downright embarrassing thing you could possibly say about this election.”

In August, Roan told Rolling Stone for a cover story: “Right now, it’s more important than ever to use your vote, and I will do whatever it takes to protect people’s civil rights, especially the LGBTQ+ community.

“My ethics and values will always align with that, and that hasn’t changed with a different nominee. I feel lucky to be alive during an incredibly historical time period when a woman of colour is a presidential nominee.”