In a recent chat with Blunt Magazine at Good Things Festival, Billy Corgan reflected on how emerging artists, like Chappell Roan, have had to navigate a rapidly changing music landscape—and how Roan stands out for staying true to herself.
Corgan, who’s no stranger to the ups and downs of the music biz, explained how the industry has changed since his early days. “I always feel like if you make it about the music, that’s the best thing for the artist and the best thing for the audience,” he said. For the Smashing Pumpkins frontman, the focus should always be on the art, not the image.
But he also acknowledged that today’s younger artists face a unique set of challenges. “We’ve survived those cuts and we’re still blessed to have an audience. Whereas for young artists, it might be quite confusing,” he added.
One younger artist artist Corgan has been keeping an eye on is pop singer Chappell Roan.
In a similar way to Corgan, Roan’s rise has been anything but conventional. Initially signed as a teenager, the label tried to mould her into something she wasn’t. “I saw an interview recently with Chappell Roan where she was talking about how she got signed when she was a teenager and they wanted her to be someone else,” Corgan recalled. “But she’s had this incredible kind of Renaissance, and people are treating her like this overnight sensation. Which, to the average public, she is. But she had to figure all that out, and in many ways, herself.”
That “renaissance” didn’t come without struggles. But Roan, like Corgan, eventually carved out her own path. “You can point to that and say there is a model there for someone who figured out the right music, the right personality, and the right organic way to reach an audience,” he said. For Corgan, Roan’s success is a clear example of how an artist can thrive by staying authentic and true to their vision.
For Corgan, it’s also about rejecting trends. “A lot of great artists are pointed in one direction, and of course, it works for some. But we would never have fit into American Idol,” he said. “We grew up in a generation that was about being yourself and doing music. Now people pretend to be themselves to get attention.”
This spirit of individuality is something that’s deeply important to Corgan, especially when looking at the current landscape. “We were not groomed for pop/Disney stardom. We were surprised by success,” he added, referring to his band’s own unexpected success in the mainstream.
When talking about Roan, Corgan pointed out the importance of finding a unique way to succeed. “The people who really figure out how to go over the mountain figure out the back way and figure out some path that’s only their own,” he said. “If you looked at it on paper, you’d say, ‘There’s no way this is going to work.’ But those are the reasons we were successful. We were one of a kind. Or ‘one of one.’ I would say that about a Chappell Roan. She’s a one of one. There’s only one of her, and that’s perfect.”
Even though he isn’t a fan of pop music, Corgan’s respect for Roan’s artistry is clear. “I’m not really a pop music fan. Chappell Roan isn’t trying to sing for a 57-year-old guy with little kids,” he said with a laugh. “I tend to look at the talent and the brilliance of what the artist is trying to put together. I can respect that. But I’m not going to sit here and pretend I listen to pop music because it’s not for me.”
At the end of the day though, for Corgan, it’s about the artistry. “She’s brilliant at what she does. She’s a true artist,” he said.
Chappell Roan’s journey, one of reinvention, authenticity, and individualism, is a refreshing reminder of the power of staying true to who you are. Corgan’s words certainly speak to this truth. Roan’s success is proof that there’s no single way to break through. In her case, the road less travelled was ultimately the one that truly worked.
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