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Chappell Roan of Arc

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Thecut.com 
Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTV

Tonight marked Chappell Roan’s debut at MTV’s VMAs, and the pop-princess warrior did not go quiet into that good night. In fact, she went loudly as the ceremony’s newly crowned Best New Artist (plus all the chain mail; that’s loud, too). Giggling as she walked onstage to accept her first major award, the 26-year-old fumbled with a notebook in which she’d written “a speech from my diary.”

“I dedicate this to all the drag artists who inspire me, and I dedicate this to the queer and trans people that fuel pop, and to the gays who dedicate my songs to someone they love or hate,” she said. “And for all the queer kids in the Midwest watching right now, I see you, I understand you because I’m one of you, and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t be exactly who you wanna be, bitch.”

Recently, the singer called out the stalking, harassment, and otherwise “creepy” fan behavior she’s battled as her star has risen seemingly overnight (though, as she told Rolling Stone this month, she’s “been doing this shit, and you’re just now catching up”). Still, Roan dedicated her newly minted moon-person to those fans who “listen to me” and “hear me when I share my joy and my fears.” It was the perfect homage to those who were there from the beginning of Roan’s ascent — before Governors Ball and Coachella — dressing up night after night as mermaids, pink ponies, and kinky karma queens.

However, Roan’s red-carpet ensemble — a sheer maxi dress from Y/Project complete with a cape, forearm guards, metallic talons, a sword, and her own knight-slash-bodyguard — sent a loud and clear message: This pop star is armored up for that battle, and she’s not afraid to swing. “Well, we have a theme per usual … always a theme,” Roan said of the medieval getup during her red-carpet interview. “The robe was 300 years old, and the rug rolled out [for me] was 600 years old.” This woman is nothing if not committed to the bit. “Take notes,” as she said on the carpet.

Photo: ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

Ahead of Roan’s much-anticipated performance, drag queen Sasha Colby tossed a little inside baseball, introducing Roan as “your favorite drag queen’s favorite artist” and “my daughter.” As promised, Roan’s red-carpet charade was just the appetizer to the main course: taking the stage to sing “Good Luck, Babe!” in full body armor, ass cheeks to the sky, and firing a crossbow during her set. So, yes, she did actually light the VMAs stage on fire, with a full medieval infantry at her back. Someone give this wildly talented woman a drumstick from Medieval Times!

The “Pink Pony Club” singer was nominated for three additional awards Wednesday evening, on top of Best New Artist. “I feel like this was the next step in my career, so like, dang, feels good to be here,” she said of the honor. “I’ve never won anything, so I think that would be awesome [to win]. What I’m most nervous about is performing in front of my peers, looking out and seeing people who I’ve listened to forever or just really look up to. That’s the scary part.” (Roan’s video for “Hot to Go” was also up for Best Trending Video, and “Good Luck, Babe!” was nominated for Song of the Summer. “Red Wine Supernova” was up for MTV Push Performance of the Year.)

Photo: Manny Carabel/Getty Images for MTV

In classic Chappell chaos fashion, the singer noted on the carpet that she wanted to thank her ex if she takes home a Best New Artist nod. “You got me here, I’m really trying not to cuss … it’s so hard,” she laughed. “Thank you to my ex!”

Alas, Roan’s arrival to the VMAs wasn’t all fairy tale. Though it’s unclear what exactly prompted the exchange, according to footage captured on MTV’s livestream, a photographer shouted, “Shut the fuck up!” at someone on the photo line. Roan seemed to think the expletive was directed at her, and yelled back with a pointed finger, “You shut the fuck up! … No. Not me, bitch.” Whether or not the photographer was speaking to her, she felt threatened and responded with appropriate ferocity. “This is quite overwhelming and quite scary for someone who gets a lot of anxiety around people yelling at you,” she told Entertainment Tonight later in the evening. “The carpet is horrifying, and I yelled back. You don’t get to yell at me like that.”

Roan also acknowledged that the vast majority of her fans have been “so respectful” of her boundaries, making her “feel very heard.” “I think it’s hard for artists to speak up because they’re so scared of their fans hating them,” she told the outlet. “But I had to say it. I’m not taking this for the rest of my career. I’ve been famous for, like, one month. This is not how it’s gonna go, girl!” Note taken.

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