Chappell Roan dropping out of a music festival had an unexpected upside for fans of queer pop

Roan’s decision was met with equal parts support and disappointment by festivalgoers. Many said they’d been convinced to buy tickets (ranging from $119 to $199, or even more at resale prices) off the strength of Roan’s now-famous stage presence, not to mention the extraordinary pace of her career trajectory. Though Roan was not billed as a headliner, by the time the festival rolled around, her monthly listeners on Spotify had swelled to over 45 million, far surpassing the majority of her fellow performers (and second only to Sunday headliner Hozier).

Even in her absence, Roan’s aesthetic was everywhere. The festival was dotted with her “Midwest Princess” merchandise and “Pink Pony Club”-style cowboy hats. At least one person was in full Lady Liberty drag, emulating Roan’s onstage look at Governors Ball in June.

On social media, there were fewer examples of solidarity. Roan was widely criticized for withdrawing from the festival on such short notice; her decision came after a week of backlash, sparked by poorly phrased political statements that Roan shared on TikTok. On Friday, when she announced her mini hiatus, Roan told fans the noise had gotten “overwhelming.”

Still, festival organizers and performers were united in Roan’s corner. In a statement, All Things Go said it “strongly supports artists prioritizing their well-being.” MUNA even added a cover of Roan’s breakout hit “Good Luck Babe!” to their setlist, describing it as a “group exercise” in showing her love and support.

This position makes sense, as All Things Go has long been committed to booking and uplifting both women and queer artists.

MUNA has demonstrated the same commitment, particularly over the past few years while they’ve toured to support their 2022 self-titled album. The band regularly recruits friends — usually women and artists from the LGBTQ+ community — to join the stage for their finale song, “Silk Chiffon,” including the likes of Phoebe Bridgers (who’s featured on the studio version), Lorde, Gracie Abrams, Arlo Parks, Julien Baker, and most recently, Lucy Dacus.

“Silk Chiffon” may be MUNA’s biggest song to date, the indie hit that ushered in their self-described “queer joy” era, but it’s only one of many gems on their setlist. Indeed, for fans who ventured to All Things Go for Roan and got MUNA instead, it’s hard to imagine how they could walk away unsatisfied. Their two catalogs share many of the same themes: rebellion, transformation, self-determination, sapphic lust, and, most importantly, hope and resilience in the face of judgment and bigotry.

And MUNA was hardly the only queer act at the festival. Their performance was followed by Reneé Rapp, the shamelessly unfiltered vocal powerhouse who came out as a lesbian earlier this year. Other standouts included Towa Bird, who delivered her own guitar-fueled set before joining her girlfriend Rapp onstage for “Tummy Hurts;” Amber Bain of The Japanese House, whose stunning indie-pop jewels like “:)” and “Boyhood” explore her journeys with queerness and gender; Maren Morris of “The Middle” fame, who recently came out as bisexual; acclaimed singer-songwriter Ethel Cain, who is trans; Conan Gray, beloved for his poignant portrayals of gay yearning; and Janelle Monáe, a self-identified “free-ass motherfucker” who dazzled the festival crowd with campy costume changes, gay anthems, and show-stopping vocals.

None of these artists have reached the same level of mainstream success as Roan, but that’s kind of the problem — and the point. When there’s only one person forced upon a pedestal, she’s almost destined to let you down. There’s no reason why Roan should be saddled with the hopes and expectations of an entire community when she has plenty of peers who can (and should) be sharing the spotlight.