Chappell Roan Admits Uncertainty Over Her Next Album’s Sound: “That’s the Scary Part”

Chappell Roan recently revealed that her sophomore album remains in its infancy, with little more than concept sketches underway.

During an August 12 interview on Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe, the pop breakout admitted she has barely begun writing and is still exploring what tonal direction to pursue. She pointed out that her three post-debut singles—from the twangy country-pop of “The Giver” to the ’90s rock–tinged “The Subway”—span such diverse styles that she cannot predict where her next era will land.

“‘The Giver,’ ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ and ‘The Subway’ are all so distinct,” she said. “That unpredictability makes it daunting to release something new—there’s always the fear it won’t resonate like your earlier music.”

Roan acknowledged that this genre-hopping can create hesitation. “You worry fans won’t connect as deeply as they did with the debut. It’s a risk each time,” she explained.

This candor follows comments she made to Vogue, where she emphasized that a follow-up album does not yet exist and estimated it could take up to five years to assemble what she refers to as CR2.

Despite the lengthy timeline, Roan sees her latest single—released August 1—as a “safe bridge” from The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess to whatever comes next. “The Subway” debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking her career-highest entry to date.

Although the song evokes New York City imagery, she revealed it was inspired by hiding out in Los Angeles from someone she was deeply attached to. “It’s about feeling isolated in a city that’s both romantic and overwhelming,” Roan shared.

Regardless of the genre she ultimately embraces, the commercial success of her three post-debut releases—all top-five Hot 100 hits—demonstrates her fans’ appetite for her versatility. Roan praised genre experimentation as “one of the most admirable things an artist can do,” drawing parallels to Lady Gaga’s pivot on Joanne, which she said enriched Gaga’s creative identity.

Roan’s full conversation with Zane Lowe will premiere soon on Apple Music 1.

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