Chappell Roan Says She Turned Down White House Invite to Perform for Pride: ‘We Want Liberty’
The White House’s Pride Month festivities won’t be featuring an appearance from the Midwest Princess this year. During her performance at the 2024 Governor’s Ball Sunday (June 9), Chappell Roan told the crowd that she turned down the Biden administration’s invitation for her to perform in honor of the LGBTQ community this June, shortly before dedicating her angriest song to the government.
Toward the end of her set on the New York City festival’s main stage, Roan stared straight into the cameras to say that she would be singing “My Kink Is Karma” — from her debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess — “as a response to the White House, who asked me to perform for Pride.”
“We want liberty, freedom and justice for all,” she continued sternly. “When you do that, that’s when I’ll come.”
The 26-year-old Missouri native’s wording was made even more fitting by the fact that she performed in full Statue of Liberty constume on Sunday, complete with head-to-toe green body paint. Earlier on in her performance, she said, “In case you have forgotten what’s etched on my pretty little toes: ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free.'”
“That means freedom in trans rights,” she continued. “That means freedom in women’s rights. And it especially means freedom for all oppressed people in occupied territories.”
Billboard has reached out to the White House for comment.
Roan’s performance also featured the star debuting a new song titled “Subway,” as well as a costume change into a yellow taxi-inspired outfit, which even featured car air-freshener earrings. The set came shortly after Midwest Princess reached a new peak at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 chart dated June 8, 2024.
Watch Roan discuss her White House invitation and explain the deeper meaning of her Lady Liberty costume below.
Hannah Dailey
Billboard
