Chappell Roan held her own at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards. Taking to the step-and-repeat at the UBS Arena in New York, USA, on Wednesday (September 11), the pop star hit back at a photographer who was seemingly pestering her.
Clips of the heated exchange quickly spread on social media. Footage of the moment shared on Threads showed the Good Luck Babe hitmaker reacting after someone on the carpet, presumably a photographer, could be heard repeating, "Shut the f*** up."
Highlights
- Chappell Roan won the award for Best New Artist at the 2024 MTV VMAs.
- She had a heated exchange with a rude photographer, yelling back and setting boundaries.
- Chappell’s medieval-themed performance at the VMAs featured a castle, knights, and a fiery crossbow.
- In her acceptance speech, Chappell dedicated her victory to the LGBTQ+ community and drag artists.
- She emphasized her need to set boundaries and condemned harassment in a recent Instagram post.
More footage further showed Chappell yelling back: "You shut the f*** up," pointing in the alleged offender’s direction. The songstress then backed away to have her Joan of Arc-inspired gown adjusted before shouting: "Don't. Not me, b***h!"
People present during the disturbing incident broke into cheers, and a person could even be heard screaming: "You tell 'em, girl."
Chappell Roan held her own at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards
Image credits: Taylor Hill/Getty
A handful of fans praised the 26-year-old musician, as a Threads user commented: “Chappell Roan just told a photographer to shut the fork up and I fear she ate.”
A person wrote: “Important Context: Chappell Roan yelled at a misogynistic photographer who shouted ‘Shut the f**k up’ at her.”
“Weird how setting boundaries works, huh?” someone else penned. “We must always call out and condemn harassment from creepy people BECAUSE IT WORKS.”
The same person added: “I’m forever proud of our Midwestern Princess Chappell Roan for standing up for herself and continuing to set boundaries while WINNING best new artist!!”
Image credits: Gotham/Getty
A netizen asked: “I don’t see anything wrong with this. Why do we need to treat the media kindly if they don’t do the same?”
A separate individual chimed in: “She’s a fucking rockstar! Yes ma'am it's 2024 we ain’t letting paparazzi be toxic to women like they were to Britney..shut that s**t down immediately.”
Further down the carpet, Chappell spoke to Entertainment Tonight about the unpleasant encounter, saying: "This is quite overwhelming and quite scary.
“I think for someone who gets a lot of anxiety around people yelling at you, the carpet is horrifying.
“And I yelled back. I yelled back! You don't get to yell at me like that."
She took the step-and-repeat at the UBS Arena in New York, USA, on Wednesday (September 11)
Image credits: etnow
The Missouri native debuted at the VMAs wearing a medieval-style outfit. The look featured a sheer flowing Y/Project gown, a mint green cape, and thigh-high boots, accessorized with a sword, metal cuffs, and plenty of jewelry, People reported on Wednesday.
All rude and scary conversation aside, Chappell’s night ended on a much better note, as she won the award for Best New Artist.
The songstress was nominated in the category alongside the likes of Benson Boone, Gracie Abrams, Shaboozey, Teddy Swims, and Tyla.
Image credits: etnow
Chappell went on to use her achievement to honor the LGBTQ+ community in her speech, Elle reported on Wednesday. She said: “Can you believe it? We’re at the VMAs! I’m gonna read from—I wrote a speech—from my diary.”
The new VMAs winner continued: “Thank you, MTV and Island Records and my team and my family and friends.
“I dedicate this to all the drag artists who inspire me, who inspire me, and I dedicate this to queer and trans people that fuel pop, to the gays who dedicate my songs to someone they love or hate.
“And thank you to the people who are fans, who listen to me, who hear me when I share my joy and my fears.
Chappell hit back at a photographer who was seemingly pestering her
“Thank you for listening. And for all the queer kids in the Midwest watching right now, I see you, I understand you, because I’m one of you, and don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t be exactly who you wanna be, b***h.”
In a medieval-themed performance during the VMAs, Chappell brought a castle, dancing knights, and lots of fire while embodying “Roan of Arc.”
The singer, who was wearing fake armor and her signature bright-red curly hair in pigtails, took the stage bearing a crossbow with its arrow on fire.
She went on to aim the crossbow at the castle, and then she strutted across the stage singing her Good Luck Babe hit, Variety reported on Wednesday.
Chappell was reportedly surrounded by male dancers in fake armor doing synchronized moves and a set with a backdrop of a giant castle, full moon, and tall gates that ignited with real fire at the beginning of the performance.
The songstress, known for her extravagance inspired by the art of drag, rose to superfame over the summer. However, she released her first EP in 2014 at the age of 16.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, she said, “What’s so infuriating is how people are just now taking me seriously. Like, ‘You know what, b***h? I’ve been doing this s**t and you’re just now catching up.’”
Chappell has also notably been very honest and open about rising so quickly to fame, sharing in interviews and social media her experience with “creepy” harassment, “crazy type of behavior,” and “stalker vibes.”
Chappell won the award for Best New Artist at the VMAs
Image credits: MTV
Last month, she took to her Instagram page to emphasize her boundaries, writing: “I turned off comments because I’m not looking for anyone’s response.
“This isn’t a group conversation. I understand that this is jarring to hear from a person in my position.
“I’m not afraid of the consequences for demanding respect.”
She explained: “For the past 10 years I’ve been going non-stop to build my project and it’s come to the point that I need to draw lines and set boundaries.
“I want to be an artist for a very very long time. I’ve been in too many nonconsensual physical and social interactions and I just need to lay it out and remind you, women don’t owe you s**t.”
Chappell continued: “I chose this career path because I love music and art and honoring my inner child, I do not accept harassment of any kind because I chose this path, nor do I deserve it.”
She admitted: “When I’m on stage when I’m performing, when I’m in drag, when I’m at a work event, when I’m doing press… I am at work.
“Any other circumstance, I am not in work mode. I am clocked out.”
Clips of the heated exchange quickly spread on social media
Image credits: etnow
The music star concluded: “I want to love my life, be outside, giggle with my friends, go to the movie theater, feel safe, and do all the things every single person deserves to do.
“Please stop touching me. Please stop being weird to my family and friends. Please stop assuming things about me.
“There is always more to the story. I am scared and tired.”
Bored Panda has contacted Chappell Roan’s representatives for comment.
"She isn't totally wrong," a reader commented
