Chappell Roan has shared that she was recently diagnosed with “severe depression” following her sudden rise to fame.
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The ‘Casual’ singer has been vocal about her experiences of fame in recent months, taking to TikTok to share her thoughts on “weird” and “creepy” followers, and calling out the “predatory behaviour” of so-called “superfans” that includes “nonconsensual physical and social interactions”.
Now, speaking to the Guardian, Roan has shared she has been diagnosed with “severe depression” after going to “a psychiatrist last week because I was like, I don’t know what’s going on.”
She told the paper: “She diagnosed me with severe depression – which I didn’t think I had because I’m not actually sad. But I have every symptom of someone who’s severely depressed.” She explains this includes brain fog, forgetfulness, poor focus and “a very lacklustre viewpoint.”
Roan has attributed these symptoms to her sudden, newfound fame. “I think it’s because my whole life has changed. Everything that I really love to do now comes with baggage,” she explained. “If I want to go thrifting, I have to book security and prepare myself that this is not going to be normal. Going to the park, pilates, yoga – how do I do this in a safe way where I’m not going to be stalked or harassed?”
“Every time I walk through my front door, it just comes out of me,” she admitted. “I can’t even help it, I just start sobbing and either being so angry at myself for choosing this path, or grieving how the curiosity and pure wonder I had about the world is somewhat taken away from me.”
Chappell Roan (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images)
The former NME cover star also likened fame to “going through puberty again”. “My body does feel different. It’s holding tension in a very different way: I have all these new emotions and I’m really confused. It’s how it felt to be 12.
“I look at [Lady] Gaga and even Sabrina [Carpenter] and Lana [Del Rey] – when I see them going out in public, I can’t even imagine how much they’ve had to prepare for that.”
Roan was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder in 2022. Speaking to Rolling Stone earlier this year, she said that her rapid rise to fame had triggered some symptoms.
Earlier this week, she compared fame to “an abusive ex-husband”. In an interview with The Face, the singer vented about the normalisation of extreme fan behaviour including “stalking, talking shit online, [people who] won’t leave you alone, yelling at you in public.” She added: “I didn’t know it would feel this bad.”
After her initial comments about fan behaviour, and the subsequent backlash, a handful of female artists came to Roan’s defence, including Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, MUNA, Miley Cyrus, boygenius and Sabrina Carpenter.
The ‘Red Wine Supernova’ singer also shared that Lorde had reached out to share her own experiences dealing with fame and negativity at a young age. “She sent me a list of things I should do,” Roan said. “Literally wrote down eight things she wished someone would have told her when she was going through it. And she went through fucking hell. She was a baby!”
Chappell Roan at the 2024 MTV VMAs. Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTV
Elsewhere, Mitski welcomed Roan to “the shittiest exclusive club in the world”, warning her of the downsides of her meteoric rise, and Madison Beer also recently weighed in on Roan’s comments about dealing with fame and fans, telling NME that she thinks “a lot of people have taken what [Roan] said wrong”.
Prior to Roan’s videos addressing her fans, she had expressed wanting to “[pump] the brakes” on her career after fans gave off “stalker vibes”. Her remarks earned her praise from Paramore‘s Hayley Williams, who took to Instagram to say the pop star was “brave”.
Elsewhere, at the MTV VMAs earlier this month, Roan hit back at a photographer who seemingly told her to “shut the fuck up” on the red carpet.
Roan is currently touring following the success of her 2023 debut studio album, ‘The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess’. In a four-star review, NME described it as “a display of Roan’s bold and brazen pen, where she places searing revelations alongside some deliciously cheeky choruses”.
NME caught her recent performance at London’s O2 Brixton Academy, writing: “The moment she struts in, it’s undeniable that Chappell Roan is the ultimate pop star,” in a glowing five-star review.
For help and advice on mental health:
“Am I depressed?” – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next
MITC – A collective of musician industry therapists
TONIC Rider – Bespoke training and support for music industry professionals
Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians
Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues
YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people’s health and wellbeing
CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably
The Samaritans – Confidential support 24 hours a day
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