Chappell Roan, everyone’s favourite lesbian pop drag diva, is once again leaning into the yeehaw side of things. After teasing the track in the most on-brand ways possible (more on that in a sec), she’s finally announced that ‘The Giver’ is coming. Sort of. It’s up for preorder on a fancy aquamarine 7-inch vinyl called ‘The Lawyer Edition.’
Roan first debuted ‘The Giver’ on Saturday Night Live last November, serving up a country-inspired, fiddle-laced bop with the kind of sapphic swagger that makes Nashville shake in its cowboy boots. And now, she’s making it official. There’s still no word on a digital release, but the vinyl is on its way. Or it will be if you were fast enough to grab one before they sold out in record time. If you missed out, you can sign up for restock notifications and pray to the gay gods for a second chance.
In classic Chappell Roan fashion, she didn’t just drop a boring Instagram post and call it a day. Nope, she went full character mode and transformed into a (probably very questionable) attorney, complete with billboards advertising her faux legal services. One in NYC read, “Ew … someone had a little accident.” Another in LA declared Roan to be “Los Angeles’ finest divorce lawyer.” If that wasn’t enough, she also set up a dial-in stunt where fans could call a hotline and navigate a fake customer service menu, only to be rewarded with snippets of the song.
Look, if this whole pop stardom thing doesn’t work out, Roan could probably make a killing in guerrilla marketing. Or performance art. Or as an actual divorce lawyer. (Imagine the courtroom fits.)
‘The Giver’ isn’t just a fun little twangy moment. It’s a full-blown declaration of sapphic superiority. The spoken-word portion on SNL had Roan confidently proclaiming, “All you country boys think you know how to treat a woman right. Well, only a woman knows how to treat a woman right. She gets the job done.” She’s right, and she should say it. We love a giver.
Producer Dan Nigro, the mastermind behind The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, hinted that this track is just the beginning of her next era. He’s already teased a mix of ballads, rock, and who-knows-what-else for album number two, but if ‘The Giver’ is any indication, it’s going to be unapologetically queer, wildly fun and just the right amount of unhinged.
Beyond the music, Roan is fighting for change in the industry. After winning Best New Artist at the Grammys, she called out the lack of healthcare support for up-and-coming musicians. And people actually listened. Big names like Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, Noah Kahan, and even Live Nation have since donated to the ‘We Got You’ campaign, helping to fund healthcare for independent artists, proving this Goddess is the gift that keeps on giving.
Keep your eyes peeled for more billboard mischief, and if you managed to snag one of those Lawyer Edition vinyls, cherish it. It might just be the gayest collector’s item of the year.
