Chappell Roan’s Remarks on Invasive Fans Highlight How Little We Truly Know Our Favorite Celebrities

Over a decade ago, she began her journey by posting covers on YouTube under her real name. After securing a record deal right out of high school, her debut single, “Pink Pony Club,” dropped in 2020, at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Her first album, released nearly a year ago, was met with positive reviews and attracted a loyal fanbase.

However, her rise to fame has been meteoric in the last six months. Performances at NPR’s Tiny Desk and Coachella introduced her to wider audiences just as her songs “Good Luck, Babe!” and “HOT TO GO!” were trending across hundreds of thousands of TikToks. Her explosive summer peaked with a massive Lollapalooza set, drawing an audience of up to 110,000 people — possibly one of the largest in the festival’s history.

But sudden fame has come at a cost. Earlier this week, Roan’s discomfort with invasive fan behavior reached a breaking point. In two TikTok videos, she called out fans who have crossed boundaries by following her in public, “stalking” her family, and demanding photos or hugs despite her reluctance.

“I don’t care that abuse and harassment, stalking, whatever, is considered normal for famous people,” she said in one of the videos. “It’s strange how people assume they know you just because they see you online or listen to your music… I’m allowed to say no to creepy behavior, okay?”

In a lengthy Instagram post on Friday, Roan reiterated her stance, emphasizing that when she’s offstage, she’s “clocked out” and owes nothing to people who approach her during her personal time. Although she loves making music and appreciates the support from respectful fans, she made it clear that she will “not tolerate harassment of any kind just because I chose this path.”

“I feel more love than ever before,” she wrote. “But I also feel the most unsafe I’ve ever felt in my life.”

Part of what draws fans to Chappell Roan — and perhaps what leads some to cross boundaries — is her authenticity, says Sally Theran, a psychology professor at Wellesley College who studies parasocial relationships between celebrities and fans.

“One of the things that’s really appealing about her is her upfront attitude. She’s very open about who she is and doesn’t conform to traditional celebrity standards,” Theran explained. “That resonates with people in an age where so much feels manufactured.”

Roan’s openness and confidence online might lead fans to believe they truly know her and that she wants to connect with them. But fans who mistake her public persona for her true self are missing a key point.

“I think what she’s trying to say is, ‘This is a performance. It doesn’t mean you know me or that I know you,’” Theran added. “But there’s a disconnect where some people really believe they get her and that she wants to know them, too.”

In an era where social media blurs the boundaries between fans and celebrities, Roan’s situation highlights the pressure on public figures to give more of themselves than they’re willing. The personal cost of being candid online is often higher than stars like Roan are willing to pay.

Roan has used TikTok for years, sharing humorous and candid clips even before she became a Billboard regular. Her presence on social media mirrors her onstage persona — bold and confident — which has endeared her to fans. But these glimpses into her life have set a precedent among some followers who now expect the same level of access offline.

“The rise of social media has heightened our sense of entitlement toward celebrities, leading some to feel they’re owed something in return,” Theran said. “There’s almost an implicit agreement that because stars make money off us, they owe us access to their lives.”

Roan stands out as one of the few pop stars pushing back against this notion. Many of her fans have been supportive, urging others to respect her boundaries and recognize that the person behind the persona deserves privacy.

This kind of honesty isn’t always well-received. Other digital-era stars, like Doja Cat, have also faced backlash for setting boundaries with their fanbases. In July 2023, when a follower asked Doja to express love for her fans, she replied, “I don’t though cuz I don’t even know y’all.” Her candidness cost her over 180,000 Instagram followers in a month.

Parasocial relationships, where fans form one-sided emotional bonds with celebrities, are more common in the social media age. These connections can feel more intense on platforms like TikTok, where stars like Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj regularly interact with fans through livestreams. While most fans understand that these relationships are not real or reciprocal, some take it too far.

Roan’s recent TikTok videos have reignited debates around parasocial relationships, emphasizing how little we truly know about celebrities. While most fans understand the difference between an artist’s public persona and private life, a small minority overstep boundaries, believing they are entitled to more access than is appropriate.

Theran notes that celebrities who create a degree of distance — like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, who rarely engage directly with fans anymore — are less likely to encounter these issues. Meanwhile, artists like Roan, who come across as more approachable, may face a different kind of challenge.

“Roan has made it clear that her persona is just that — a persona,” Theran said. “She’s trying to protect her mental health by drawing a line between her career and her personal life.”

Roan’s videos highlight the fragile and often misunderstood relationship between fans and celebrities. As she put it bluntly in one of her TikToks: “I’m a random btch. YOU’RE a random btch. Just think about that for a second, okay?”