Lesbian icon Chappell Roan wins Billboard’s Top New Artist award

The Billboard Music Awards returned on Thursday (December 12) to crown the best artists across a variety of categories, and LGBTQ+ pop star Chappell Roan had the honour of being awarded the Top New Artist.

Roan was a first-time nominee, and first-time winner, at Billboard. She was not in attendance at the ceremony but sent in a pre-taped acceptance speech which was shown after her win was announced.

She said: “Thank you, Billboard, for naming me your Top New Artist of 2024, this is so awesome. You’ve really been so supportive and put not just one song, but multiple songs on the Billboard charts.”

Roan added that she was confused by the “new” label as she has been making music since 2015 but the awards track music consumption dating October 28, 2023 to October 19, 2024, which is when Roan’s album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess took off and skyrocketed her to fame.

“This has taken a long time — to be a new artist, but it’s awesome to be recognised. And all these years of hard work, are truly paying off. Thank you for being a part of that,” Roan continued.

Roan won the award over fellow nominees Shaboozey, Teddy Swims, Tommy Richman, and Benson Boone.

Previous winners of Top New Artist include Billie Eilish (2019), Roddy Ricch (2020), Olivia Rodrigo (2021), Latto (2022), and Zach Bryan (2023).

She was also nominated in the Top Female Artist category alongside Billie Eilish, SZA, and Sabrina Carpenter but lost out to Taylor Swift.

Chappell Roan’s Video Music Awards performance earlier this year was definitely a highlight of 2024 and one that will long-be remembered. She brought the house down with her rendition of “Good Luck, Babe!” and marched across the stage in a suit of armour – Joan of Arc chic – surrounded by pyrotechnics.

To top the evening off, she took home the gong for best new artist. In her acceptance speech, she thanked the “girls and the gays.”

“I dedicate this to all the drag artists who inspire me, and I dedicate this to all the queer, trans people who inspire pop. I see you, I understand you because I’m one of you,” she said.

As the world hurtles towards the end of 2024, this award is the latest in a long line of achievements for Chappell Roan, which included seven songs on the Hot 100 chart, breaking attendance records during her sets at Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, as well as six Grammy nominations.