Chappell Roan made waves on the Call Her Daddy podcast with Alex Cooper — not just talking about her music and touring life, but opening up about her childhood pop inspirations and even her unexpectedly controversial views on parenthood.
Growing up in Missouri, Roan (born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz) described herself as a deeply pop-obsessed kid, even though she was raised in a strict, Christian household. “I really like … Hannah Montana vibes,” she told Cooper, revealing she preferred Miley Cyrus’s pop alter-ego over the Jonas Brothers. As she put it, “I always hated the Jonas Brothers … I don’t care about the boys, I just want Hannah.” She also cited a lifelong admiration for Britney Spears, saying that pop culture like Britney and Hannah Montana played a big role in shaping the aesthetic she now embraces on stage.
Those influences make a lot of sense when you hear Roan’s bold, theatrical pop: her music blends huge pop hooks, drag-inspired visuals, and a real joy in performance. Her rise has been powered by her capacity to channel that dream-pop energy, even as she navigated a very different upbringing in a conservative environment.
But the podcast didn’t shy away from darker territory. Roan’s comments on friends and parenthood went viral almost immediately. She said: “All of my friends who have kids are in hell. I actually don’t know anyone who’s happy and has children at this age … I literally have not met anyone … who has light in their eyes, who has slept.” Interpreting her own experience, she added: she’s puzzled at how her parents did it — being the eldest of four — and questioned whether she’d ever want to follow that path herself.
Her blunt reflections touched a nerve online. Some parents pushed back, sharing their own moments of joy amid the exhaustion. Others defended her honesty, saying she’s asking questions that rarely get asked publicly. Meanwhile, commentators noted the complexity of motherhood — acknowledging that while it’s demanding, it can also be deeply fulfilling.
For Roan, the podcast offered a window into how her past shaped her present: her childhood heroes, her desire to carve out her own identity, and her worries about the more “grown-up” life choices. Whether you agree with her take on parenting or not, it’s clear she’s not afraid to speak her mind — and that she’s still pulling strength from those first pop anthems she fell in love with.
