Chappell Roan yells at a photographer on the MTV VMAs red carpet.
As Roan posed for shutterbugs on Wednesday night, the pop star faced an unexpected confrontation from a photographer who shouted, “Shut the f— up.”
In a moment that took everyone by surprise, she turned sharply, finger pointed, and shot back, “You shut the f— up.”
With an assertive stance, the “Good Luck, Babe!” singer declared defiantly, “Don’t! Not me, b—-!” Cheering echoed from the crowd, where a supportive voice yelled, “Tell ‘em, girl!”
After the red carpet skirmish, the 26-year-old articulated her feelings, shedding light on the overwhelming experience.
“This is quite overwhelming and quite scary. For someone who gets a lot of anxiety around people yelling at you, the carpet is horrifying, and I yelled back. You don’t get to yell at me like that.”
Addressing her anxiety and the intensity of that moment, Roan reflected with honesty, recalling how the red carpet can be a frightful place for someone already grappling with stress. “For someone who gets a lot of anxiety around people yelling at you, it’s truly terrifying,” she confessed to Entertainment Tonight.
This very evening, her appearance was as eye-catching as her confrontational spirit; Roan donned a sheer maroon dress, reminiscent of a medieval warrior’s ensemble, complete with a sword, a light green cloak, and striking long pointed nails.
As the night unfolded, she graced the stage, performing her hit single “Good Luck, Babe!” and clinching the award for Best New Artist.
The “Pink Pony Club” singer’s viral moment became even more significant when considering her previous social media posts, where she voiced serious accusations regarding fan behavior, speaking out against stalking, harassment, and what she termed “predatory behavior.”
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Roan expressed how a decade of relentless efforts had led her to create boundaries. “I want to be an artist for a very very long time,” she wrote. Her powerful messaging resonated, reminding everyone that women owe nothing to anyone simply for being artists. Music and art serve her inner child, she affirmed, emphasizing that she will not tolerate any form of harassment.
Addressing the issues head-on, Roan remarked that some fans participated in “nonconsensual physical and social interactions,” clarifying that such actions can often disguise themselves under the guise of ‘superfan’ devotion.
“Please stop touching me. Please stop being weird to my family and friends. Please stop assuming things about me,” she earnestly pleaded. “There is always more to the story, and I am scared and tired. And please don’t call me Kayleigh,” a reference to her legal name that emphasized her desire to be recognized as Chappell, the artist.
The emotional weight of her words reflected authentic vulnerability, capturing the essence of a pop star caught between adoration and discomfort. The contrast was stark; popular yet vulnerable, celebrated yet anxious. Roan’s meteoric rise has been punctuated by both extraordinary performances, like her viral Coachella act, and troubling encounters with fans. With 4 million followers on Instagram and 3 million on TikTok, Roan’s world is indeed bright, yet it brings shadows that can’t be ignored.
