Chappell Roan The Pain & Pleasure of a Pop Supernova

Do you want to bedazzle my grinder?" Chappell Roan is standing in front of a vintage armoire, holding the silver weed-crushing tool and contemplating what to do today. It's a hot, gorgeous July Friday, and she has a rare day off in between her increasingly viral festival performances. The crimson curls that usually fall to her lower back are pinned up, her face bare except for a swipe of black liner around her eyes. In lieu of, say, a pink cowgirl suit or a Hannah Montana wig or a latex wrestling uniform, all of which she's worn onstage, she's opted for grey cargo trousers and a matching bodysuit. "I wear grey and black IRL because I can't handle the shit that I wear [onstage]," she says.

- BRITTANY SPANOS

The markings of her pop alter ego are all over the cosy, one-bedroom house she recently began renting in a quiet suburban neighbourhood outside Los Angeles. Here in the makeshift craft room, just opposite the armoire, is a mannequin that acts as a Chappell Roan stand-in. Today it's dressed in the sheer, seafoam kimono from her 'Casual' video and the Statue of Liberty wig from her recent set at Governors Ball in New York. Roan is not fully settled in here. There are vintage lamps and half-unpacked boxes on the floor, sitting near bags of Anastasia Beverly Hills makeup she was gifted after guest-judging on RuPaul's Drag Race yesterday. But there are also just enough touches to make it feel like a home, like the jadeite salt and pepper shakers on the dining table or a couple of small, pastelhued watercolour paintings on the wall. It feels safe and warm for a house that's as new as the life she's suddenly living.

Since this spring, Roan has experienced the kind of rise that makes words like 'meteoric' feel quaint. Back in April, she wrapped a stretch of dates opening for her friend Olivia Rodrigo. The tour gave momentum to Roan's fun, insanely memorable debut, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, released last September. Then came Coachella. Like the rest of the performances that weekend, Roan's afternoon set was broadcast live on YouTube, and while thousands watched in person, millions more were glued to their screens, sharing and reacting to clips on social media in real time.