Chappell Roan Dedicates Best New Artist Win to ‘Queer Kids in the Midwest’ at VMAs: ‘I See You’

Chappell Roan is taking her first-ever MTV Video Music Award hot to go. Following a stand-out performance of “Good Luck, Babe!” at the 2024 awards ceremony, the 26-year-old pop star won best new artist Wednesday night (Sept. 11), a moment she dedicated to all of the people in the LGBTQ+ community who continuously propel her to new heights.

“Can you believe it? We’re at the VMAs!” Roan cheered after accepting her Moon Person from Tinashe, covering her face with disbelief as fans at New York’s UBS Arena applauded.

“I dedicate this to all the drag artists who inspire me, and I dedicate this to queer and trans people who fuel pop,” she continued, reading from a small journal she took with her on stage. “To the gays, who dedicate my songs to someone they love or hate … for all the queer kids in the midwest watching right now, I see you. I understand you, because I am one of you.”

After thanking her label, Island Records, Roan — wearing a medieval knight-inspired chainmail hood to match her Joan of Arc theme of the night — left the crowd with one last message. “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t be exactly who you want to be, b—h,” she said with a smirk.

The 2024 VMAs were held at UBS Arena and hosted by Megan Thee Stallion. Eminem opened the show, Vanguard honoree Katy Perry performed a career-spanning medley of her hits, and everyone from Lenny Kravitz to Halsey, Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes and Rauw Alejandro delivered performances.

In addition to best new artist — for which Roan beat out Tyla and Gracie Abrams — the Missouri native was also up for MTV push performance of the year for The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess‘ fan-favorite track “Red Wine Supernova.” Taylor Swift led the nominations with a total of 12, while her “Fortnight” collaborator Post Malone followed with 11.

Prior to accepting her Moon Person, Roan brought the heat on stage with a fiery performance of her breakout single “Good Luck, Babe!” Dressed in a suit of armor, the vocalist lit a castle on fire with a flaming crossbow without missing a single note of the track, which reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August.