What did Chappell Roan say about Declan McKenna? Duo toured together in 2018

Chappell Roan might have headlined her debut tour in 2023, but the singer-songwriter has played supportive roles in other artists' tours since long before, including Vance Joy, Olivia Rodrigo, Ben Platt, Fletcher, and Declan McKenna.

In April 2018, Chappell was interviewed by ANCHR Magazine, where she opened up about touring with the Brazil singer Declan McKenna.

"This tour has been amazing. Declan and his band are so funny and nice and welcoming. They make this tour so much easier," commented Roan.

Chappell Roan also mentioned in the interview that she had done a total of 45 shows with McKenna and his band during the tour.

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Chappell Roan toured with Declan McKenna for 2 months in 2018

In February 2018, Chappell Roan joined Declan McKenna and his band on the headlining tour to promote his debut album What Do You Think About The Car? The tour was also named after this album.

The tour took place soon after Roan had released her debut EP, School Nights, with Atlantic Records. When she was asked about the story behind the EP's titular track, released earlier that week, Chappell told ANCHR:

"[It] is about the feeling of being young and staying up late on a school night when you know you should be asleep and the feeling of being in love for the first time. I wrote this when I was 17 and it was a time that I felt like I was growing up, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to stay 17."

Following the EP, Chappell Roan went on to release three other singles with her first record label, after which she was dropped by them in 2020.

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Chappell Roan started her debut headlining tour in 2023

Five years after touring with Declan McKenna, Chappell Roan embarked on her debut headlining tour, named Naked in North America Tour.

It was a month-long event that began in February 2023 and concluded in March 2023, with the Femininomenon singer performing in 20 different cities throughout the month.

Right before Chappell Roan's tour kicked off, she was interviewed by Pop Crave, where she was asked how she felt about her "first-ever headlining tour". The singer-songwriter called her feelings about it all "surreal," further adding:

"I think it will feel real when I get on stage, and I just need that to just happen... Regardless of anything, I just wanna create a fun place for people – especially queer people – to feel safe, dress up, and know that they’re not gonna be judged. It’s a very communal vibe."

Further in the interview, the host called Roan's 2020 sleeper hit Pink Pony Club an "instant classic," asking her about what the reception of the song had been like. The 26-year-old called it "very sad," particularly because of the timing of its release. Chappell further added:

"It was a very dark time when it came out. No one could party, and it was West Hollywood’s anthem! It’s for going out and queerness, and it was just so sad that I couldn’t perform it. The first time I had ever performed it was last May. It was on the shelf for two years because concerts won’t open, you know?"

The subject of Chappell Roan's tradition of assigning show themes to her tour concerts was also brought up in the Pop Crave interview, with the host asking her how the idea of themed outfits came to Roan.

Answering this question, the Red Wine Supernova singer mentioned that she had wanted to do themed shows "for like five years." She said:

"I’ve always wanted to do themed shows because I love crowd participation. Like, that is my thing. I write songs with intention of the crowd participating in them."

Roan further explained:

"I just wanted something that gave people an option to dress up, because I love dressing up all crazy. It gives you the option and a comfortability around dressing how you would on Halloween, honestly, because everyone else is doing it with you. No one’s gonna think you’re weird! It’s just an opportunity to be silly, honestly. That’s my whole thing."

From her debut headlining show to her sophomore one - The Midwest Princess Tour - Chappell Roan has sustained the concept of themed shows for two whole years and her fans love her all the more for it. Her second tour is currently ongoing, promoting her debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.

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The European leg of The Midwest Princess Tour will kick off on August 31, 2024, where Roan will perform in seven different countries. The singer-songwriter will return to North America on September 28, concluding the tour on October 11.