Similar to Lady Gaga, Chappell Roan also utilizes the concept of soundscapes within her sonic production in order to effectively and meticulously calculate her brand image. In this section of the website, I will argue that Chappell Roan negotiates between intimacy and theatricality throughout her debut album, which allows her to consequently brand herself. 

Many Chappell Roan songs reflect the same sort of theatricality that Lady Gaga often conveys in most of her music. “Feminonemon” and “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl,” for example, feel like they belong on the dancefloor, considering they employ the use of flamboyant, theatrical synthesizers and beats. On the other hand, though, songs like “California” and “Coffee” utilize slower, ballad-like production that mainly features piano and/or an acoustic guitar. With this in mind, Chappell Roan negotiates between extravagance and minimalism within her sonic production, immersing listeners to feel as if her music is being played in a realistic space. Exemplary songs of this phenomenon are discussed down below. 

Similar to the lyrical section of this tab, this section is also inspired by Keir Keightley, who discusses romanticism and modernism in the context of musical style. On The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, Chappell Roan’s negotiation between intimacy and extravagance seems to mirror the tension between Keightley’s definition of romanticism and modernism. Whereas romanticism focuses on traditional sounds, modernist music focuses on experimentation and innovation with new sounds. Thus, as discussed above, Chappell Roan’s ability to balance theatricality in songs like “Feminomenon” and intimacy in songs like “Coffee” mirror Keightley’s framework of modernism and romanticism, which will be a guiding point in this section.