After nearly a year since her last release, Chappell Roan dropped her new single, “The Giver,” on March 13, taking fans back to her Midwestern roots while celebrating overt queerness.
“The Giver” marks Roan’s first venture into country music and is her second single since the release of her debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. While most of the songs from her debut album fell under the pop genre, this new track breaks away from her typical sound.
The song features a classic country beat while staying true to Roan's identity as a queer woman. In an interview with Kelleigh Bannen on Apple Music, Roan spoke about the influence of country music in her upbringing. She also mentioned how many queer individuals enjoy country hits like Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” and Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”
“‘The Giver’ is the only country song I’ll ever listen to,” said USM student Abi Bouzigard. “It’s a great combination of irony and female empowerment.”
Bouzigard noted that Roan’s latest release serves as positive queer representation in media, especially for LGBTQ+ individuals in the South and Midwest.
Prior to its release, Roan teased “The Giver” during her November 2024 performance on Saturday Night Live. In February, billboards promoting the song directed fans to call 620-HOT-TO-GO, where they could hear snippets.
While “The Giver” has been well-received by Roan’s fanbase, some listeners have noticed differences between the SNL performance and the studio version, raising questions about Roan's second album.
“I remember listening to the song on SNL and there was a line about how only a woman knows how to treat a woman right,” said fan Reese Hodges. “I was a bit disappointed it wasn’t in the studio release.”
Despite these changes, Hodges appreciates the song’s queer representation and its contribution to bringing queerness into country music.
“The Giver” is now available to stream on all major platforms.
