After a stupendously fast and disorienting pop-star ascent, Chappell Roan has been relatively quiet this year, or at least she was relatively quiet until last week. In the past seven days, Roan has been back on her pop-star bullshit. She appeared on the remix to her friend Olivia Rodrigo's absolute banger "Expectations." She sang "Boom Clap" with Charli XCX at Charli's LA show. And then she duetted with Christina Aguilera.
Right now, Chappell Roan is smack-dab in the middle of the Super Graphic Spectacular Block Party, a special two-day concert at LA's Shrine Auditorium. The two nights are benefits for Roan's own Midwest Princess Project, which aids trans and LGBTQ+ kids in the Midwest, and she's headlining both of them. It started with Wednesday's show, which had performances from Tinashe, Lola Young, Amanda LePore, Blaine Petrovia, and Kyra Jeté.
During her own set, a delightfully awestruck Roan introduced the evening's surprise guest, Y2K-era pop titan Christina Aguilera. Aguilera sang her own 2002 positivity-blast mega-ballad smash "Beautiful," and then she joined Roan for a considerably less slick take on Roan's own ballad "Coffee." The two of them had a funny chemistry, and Roan seemed to be having the time of her life. Watch it happen below.
Roan will headline the second night of the Super Graphic Spectacular Block Party tonight, and the bill also features Caroline Polachek, MUNA, Alisa Mae, Fantasia Royale Gaga, and Sweaty Eddie.