Chappell Roan pulls out of upcoming festival to prioritize health

“I apologize to the people who have been waiting to see me in NYC and DC this weekend at All Things Go, but I can’t perform,” the “Hot to Go” singer, referring to the festival she was set to headline in both titles. York City and Washington DC, shared in an Instagram story. “Things have gotten overwhelming in the last few weeks and I can really feel it.”

In the story, also shared by the All Things Go account, she continued: “I’m feeling pressured to prioritize a lot of things right now and need a few days to prioritize my health. I want to be present when I perform and give the best performances possible. Thank you for your understanding. Come back soon xox.”

It’s not the first time Roan, who just won Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards, has been open about her struggles with mental health. In 2022, before exploding as an international superstar, she shared her bipolar 2 diagnosis in an Instagram post, explaining that she was on medication, “in full hypomania,” when she released her single “Naked in Manhattan”. and in intensive care four days a week.

“I don’t talk about it much, but it affects me daily and is a pretty big part of my music,” she wrote. “I’m in a healthy place, I just wanted to share and I think it’s important to talk about mental health.”

In June, she stopped a concert in North Carolina to say, “I just want to be honest with the crowd. I’m just feeling a little disappointed today because I think my career is going really fast and it’s really hard to keep up. I’m just being honest, I’m having a hard time today.” Her announcement was met with chants of “We love you!”

More recently, the 26-year-old star told Girl was considering quitting the music industry due to pressure and verbal harassment from fans.

“This industry and craftsmanship thrives on mental illness, burnout, overwork, overstretching, not sleeping. You get bigger the more unhealthy you are. Isn’t that so damned?” she told the press. “The ambition is: How can I not hate myself, my job, my life, and not do this?” she says. “Because right now, it’s not working. I’m just fighting to try to feel healthy.”

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, nearly 23% of US adults – or 1 in 5 – experience a mental illness. Meanwhile, LGBTQ people like Roan are more than twice as likely as straight men and women to have a mental health disorder in their lifetime and 2.5 times more likely to experience depression, anxiety and substance abuse substances compared to heterosexual people, according to the American. Psychiatric Association.

Roan might be one of the most outspoken celebrities about the rigors of fame. But she is also among the growing chorus of others trying to break the stigma of mental health issues. Others, including tennis great Naomi Osaka, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and Prince Harry, have shared openly about their struggles, as have pop stars Charli XCX, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Bebe Rexha and Billie Eilish.

“I was so miserable last year… I was so miserable and I was so miserable. I didn’t think I’d be happy again, ever,” Eilish told Gayle King in 2020 about dealing with sudden fame. “I don’t want to be too dark, but I really didn’t think I’d make it to 17.”

Such honest conversations are important, according to at least one study on the topic, which found that they can raise awareness and change attitudes and behaviors. Petra Gronholm, a researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London, echoed this in 2023, saying Washington Post that such openness gives non-famous people permission to be honest and find help.

“If they see celebrities doing it,” she said, “they might do it themselves.”

As one fan commented to Roan on a recent TikTok: “Thank you for being vulnerable with us and setting your boundaries. I love you Chappell Roan 🩷🩷🩷. You’ve given many LGBTQ+ people (myself included) a voice and music we can relate to.”

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