"I Have a Special Relationship to Where I'm From Because of Country Music": Chappell Roan Talks the Inspiration Behind New Song, 'The Giver'

Where 2024 saw the ushering in of acts like Post Malone and Beyoncé into the country music fold, it's looking like 2025 is the year of Chappell Roan.

The 27-year-old, born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, has long been teasing her first country single, 'The Giver,' dating back to November of 2024 when she performed the song as part of her appearance on Saturday Night Live. Immediately finding its way onto social media and connecting with her loyal flock, fans have been clamoring for the song's release date every since, and the day has finally arrived.

Officially being released on March 14, the queer love song marks the Missouri native's most overt step yet into the country music world, pervaded by an infectious fiddle riff and numerous tongue-in-cheek references to genre tropes.

In a recent interview with Apple Music's Kelleigh Bannen, Roan explained her deep love for country music, as well as what releasing a song like 'The Giver' means to her.

"I think I have a special relationship to where I'm from because of country music," Roan shared. "To kind of honor that part of myself by making a country song where it's like, 'You know what? Yes, I'm gay. Yes, I'm ultra-pop. Yes, I am a drag queen who can also perform a country song.'"

She continued, "There are a lot of drag queens that do country music all over the world. Name a girl who hasn't done 'Before He Cheats.' Name a girl that hasn't done 'Man! I Feel Like A Woman.'"

Known for her camp and drag queen–influenced aesthetic, Roan has become one of popular music's central characters over the last couple of years. With her viral hit and only release of 2024, 'Good Luck, Babe!,' the singer-songwriter burst into the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100. This quickly drew massive attention to her 2023 debut record, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, which includes bonafide hits like 'HOT TO GO!,' 'Casual,' 'Pink Pony Club' and more.

While the Grammy-winning phenomenon has flirted with the genre in the past, it remains to be seen whether the ‘Red Wine Supernova’ artist has a full-length country album lined up for 2025.

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