The Giver (song)

Last updated

"The Giver" is a song by American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan, marking her venture into the country music genre. It was first performed live during her debut appearance as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live on November 2, 2024. Written by Roan and produced by Dan Nigro, the song features traditional country instrumentation, including a fiddle, and explores themes of queer storytelling through subversion of conventional country lyrical norms.

Contents

"The Giver" has received praise for its innovative take on country music, with critics highlighting its cultural resonance and representation of LGBTQ+ narratives. The song is expected to be officially released following its positive reception on SNL.

Background and composition

"The Giver" marks a departure for Chappell Roan into the country music genre. [1] Roan cited her Missouri upbringing as a key influence in crafting the song, drawing upon her early exposure to country music, which she described as both nostalgic and playful in its cultural resonance. [1] [2] The song incorporates traditional country instrumentation, including a fiddle, while subverting conventional lyrical themes with queer storytelling. [1] [2] Roan collaborated with producer Dan Nigro on the writing process, emphasizing a piano-driven approach to establish the song’s structure before focusing on production. [2]

The song was first performed live during Roan's appearance on Saturday Night Live (SNL) on November 2, 2024​​. [3] [4] This marked her debut as a musical guest on the program​. [4] Ahead of the release, she teased the song during a question and answer session at the Grammy Museum, where she described the writing process as an opportunity to reconnect with her roots. [1] [2] Roan hinted at the song and its thematic departure from her earlier work through social media posts, suggesting the beginning of a new era in her career​​. [3] [4] Nigro revealed that preparing the song involved extensive research and a creative exploration of country music tropes, though he refrained from detailing specific influences​. [2] The single's official release is anticipated following the positive reception of the live debut​. [2]

On SNL, "The Giver" was presented as a brand-new song following her performance of "Pink Pony Club" from her 2023 debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess​. [4] The live debut featured an elaborate stage setup and her characteristic drag-inspired aesthetic​​. [3] [4]

Critical reception

Critics responded to "The Giver" with commentary on its impact within the country music landscape​. [5] USA Today identified it as part of a growing movement of queer country music, highlighting how it challenges traditional norms in the genre​. [5] The song's lyrics and Roan's SNL performance were noted for their assertive and direct address of queer themes, positioning the track among modern LGBTQ+ country anthems​​. [5] [4] [1] Critics highlighted Roan’s use of humor and assertiveness as distinctive within the genre. [1]

The performance on SNL drew attention for its blend of retro Western visuals and modern thematic content. Commentators have situated "The Giver" within a broader trend of increasing LGBTQ+ representation in country music, likening Roan’s efforts to those of artists such as Brandi Carlile and Orville Peck. [1] [2]

Life performances

The debut of "The Giver" on SNL included a visually distinct performance featuring Roan with an all-female band, dressed in Western-inspired denim and gingham attire​​. [3] [4] [2] The performance was characterized by spoken word interjections where Roan addressed the audience directly​​. [3] [4] [1] Critics described the performance as vibrant and reflective of her theatrical style​​. [3] [4]

Related Research Articles

LGBT representation in hip hop music have existed since the birth of the genre even while enduring blatant discrimination. Due to its adjacency to disco, the earliest days of hip hop had a close relation to LGBT subcultures, and multiple LGBT DJs have played a role in popularizing hip hop. Despite this early involvement, hip hop has long been portrayed as one of the least LGBT-friendly genres of music, with a significant body of the genre containing homophobic views and anti-gay lyrics, with mainstream artists such as Eminem and Tyler, the Creator having used casual homophobia in their lyrics, including usages of the word faggot. Attitudes towards homosexuality in hip hop culture have historically been negative, with slang that uses homosexuality as a punchline such as "sus", "no homo", and "pause" being heard in hip hop lyrics from some of the industry's biggest artists. Since the early 2000s there has been a flourishing community of LGBTQ+ hip hop artists, activists, and performers breaking barriers in the mainstream music industry.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer+(LGBTQ+)music is music that focuses on the experiences of gender and sexual minorities as a product of the broad gay liberation movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tayla Parx</span> American singer and actress (born 1993)

Taylor Monét Parks, known as Tayla Parx, is an American singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, and actor. A four-time Grammy nominee in the Album of the Year category, songs she has written and co-written have exceeded 16 billion streams on Spotify and appeared on the pop, hip hop, R & B, K-pop, country, and Latin charts. She has released four albums, an EP, and a mixtape as a solo artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Nigro</span> American musician (born 1982)

Daniel Leonard Nigro is an American musician, songwriter, instrumentalist, and record producer. He was the lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band As Tall as Lions. Nigro has produced, written, and co-written songs for Sky Ferreira, Joe Jonas, Kylie Minogue, Caroline Polachek, Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan, Dermot Kennedy, Maisie Peters, and Conan Gray. He has received 16 Grammy nominations and won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album for producing Sour in 2021. He was named as the Songwriter of the Year at the 2024 ASCAP Pop Music Awards.

For music from a year in the 2020s, go to 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chappell Roan</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1998)

Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, known professionally as Chappell Roan, is an American singer and songwriter. Working with collaborator Dan Nigro, the majority of her music is inspired by 1980s synth-pop and 2000s pop songs. Her aesthetic is heavily influenced by drag queens, and her music and performing style have been described by critics, including Rolling Stone, as "campy".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pink Pony Club</span> 2020 single by Chappell Roan

"Pink Pony Club" is a song by American singer and songwriter Chappell Roan from her debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023). It was released through Atlantic Records on April 3, 2020, as the lead single from the album. Written by Roan and Daniel Nigro, "Pink Pony Club" is a synth-pop track that describes the story of a woman moving to Southern California from her home state of Tennessee, taking a job as a stripper at a gay strip club despite her mother's wishes.

"All-American Bitch" is a 2023 song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from her second studio album, Guts. Rodrigo wrote the song with its producer, Dan Nigro. It became available as the album's first track on September 8, 2023, when the album was released by Geffen Records. "All-American Bitch" begins as a folk song and transitions into pop-punk during the chorus, incorporating influences of punk, rock, grunge, and pop rock. Lyrically, it is a satire song and explores society's double standards and contradictory expectations for women.

<i>The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess</i> 2023 studio album by Chappell Roan

The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Chappell Roan. The album was released on September 22, 2023 through Amusement Records, an imprint of Island Records. Primarily a pop record, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess also contains elements of synth-pop, pop rock, new wave, folk-pop, rock, dance-pop, country, and disco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Kink Is Karma</span> 2022 single by Chappell Roan

"My Kink Is Karma" is a song by American singer Chappell Roan, released on May 6, 2022 as the fourth single from her debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023). It was produced by Dan Nigro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Femininomenon</span> 2022 single by Chappell Roan

"Femininomenon" is a song by American singer Chappell Roan, released on August 12, 2022 as the fifth single from her debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023). It was produced by Dan Nigro and Mike Wise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Wine Supernova</span> 2023 single by Chappell Roan

"Red Wine Supernova" is a song by American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. It was released in May 2023 as the eighth single from Roan's debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. The song began charting in April 2024, following the success of "Good Luck, Babe!".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot to Go!</span> 2023 song by Chappell Roan

"Hot to Go!" is a song by American singer and songwriter Chappell Roan, from her debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023). It was released through Island Records and Amusement Records on August 11, 2023, as the album's ninth and final single. She co-wrote the track with its producer Dan Nigro. "Hot to Go!" is a synth-pop track that takes influence from new wave in its instrumentation and vocal inflections. Described as a queer cheer song similar to the Village People's "Y.M.C.A.", it was inspired by Roan's childhood dream of wanting to become a cheerleader.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Luck, Babe!</span> 2024 single by Chappell Roan

"Good Luck, Babe!" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. It was released as a standalone single on April 5, 2024, through Amusement Records and Island Records. She wrote the song with Justin Tranter and the song's producer Dan Nigro. A synth-pop and baroque pop track, "Good Luck, Babe!" references a compulsory heterosexuality relationship, describing a lesbian woman trying to deny her romantic feelings for Roan and women in general. It received critical acclaim from music critics, who included it on several mid-year rankings of the best songs of 2024.

Molly Grace Zeytoonian, known professionally as Molly Grace, is an independent American musician and singer-songwriter based out of Nashville. Grace has referenced artists such as Lizzo, Chappell Roan, Lawrence, Reneé Rapp, and Remi Wolf as influences in her music that blends pop, funk, and disco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casual (song)</span> 2022 single by Chappell Roan

"Casual" is a song by American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. It was released as a single on October 28, 2022 independently. It was later released as part of Roan's debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, through Amusement Records and Island Records as the sixth single from the album. She wrote the song along with Dan Nigro and Morgan St. Jean and Nigro is credited as producer along with Ryan Linvill. It is a dream pop song with country influences about casual dating, in particular a situationship between Roan and a love interest who is unwilling to commit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naked in North America Tour</span> Concert tour by Chappell Roan

The Naked in North America Tour was the debut concert tour by American pop musician Chappell Roan. The tour began on February 15, 2023, at the Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix, and ended on March 15 at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles.

Ramisha Sattar is a visual artist and animator best known for her work as creative director for singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. She is also the director of design for astrologer Chani Nicholas's application CHANI.

"Naked In Manhattan" is a song by American singer and songwriter Chappell Roan. It was released independently on February 18, 2022, independently. It would later be released as part of Roan's album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, through Amusement Records and Island Records. She wrote the song with Dan Nigro and Skyler Stonestreet, with Dan Nigro on production. It is a Disco-pop song about having a crush on a girl for the first time, drawing comparisons with the feeling of New York City.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ahsan, Ali (2024-11-14). "Chappell Roan's "The Giver" Turns Up in Country Music". Groovevolt. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cramer, Jude (November 12, 2024). "Here's how Chappell Roan's latest song helped her connect to her roots". INTO. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lutkin, Aimée (2024-11-03). "Chappell Roan's 'The Giver' Lyrics Are a Flirty Invitation". Elle. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Peters, Mitchell (2024-11-03). "Chappell Roan Dazzles With New Country Song 'The Giver' During Elaborate 'SNL' Debut". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  5. 1 2 3 Gibbs, Audrey (November 6, 2024). "Chappell Roan defies norms with lesbian country song. More queer country anthems". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.