ELMONT, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 11: Chappell Roan attends the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on September 11, 2024 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
The 2024 MTV Video Music Awards saw a fiery young performer ignite more than just the stage with her presence. Chappell Roan, the contemporary pop phenom, caused a stir on the red carpet with her response to disrespectful photographers.
As Roan posed resplendent in medieval-inspired armor, an unidentified individual openly disdained her. She swiftly retorted “You shut the fuck up.” Later, Roan opened up about the anxiety of crowds and yelled demands from strangers.
A trailblazer both in and outside of music, Roan refuses to tolerate abuse under the guise of celebrity entitlement. She asserts one’s right to reject unwanted engagement or intimacy from fans at any time. Throughout her ascendance, the Missouri maverick has blazed a trail upholding justice, authenticity, and community for all in the LGBTQ+ sphere.
Come award night, Roan seized victory as Best New Artist. In a speech saluting outsider visionaries everywhere, she owned her title with pride and purpose. Yet her most mesmeric moment arrived on stage, where through the spellbinding performance of “Good Luck, Babe” she breathed righteous fire. Clad as a crusader of creativity, Roan’s pyrotechnic prowess ignited the arena while a fanciful fortress went up in glorious flames behind her.
