"To be a woman is to perform." For women, queer, and marginalized communities - the concept of performance is a well known reality. Due to preconceived ideas and notions, individuals who do not benefit from a binary and patriarchal society have to conduct themselves with the utmost care and delicacy to avoid harassment in their every day. The concept of being carefree is a privilege. However, through the crafting of alter egos we have seen examples of liberation in the face of this unfair standard. Performance as active rebellion and revelry in expression.
26-year-old Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, better known as Chappell Roan, has hit the ground running with viral TikTok songs and commanding Coachella sets. Her new song, Good Luck Babe, tells the story of a queer love in which Chappell serenades an imagined closeted lover. Not only is this song a sonic joy bomb and cathartic release but it is also finding a home on the Billboards Top 100. Chappell has had great success, however her entrance into the mainstream is something truly exciting and symbolic of a cultural moment.
On The Polyester Podcast, hosts Ione Gamble and Gina Tonic discussed the recent rise in queer representation in the pop scene in their episode, Chappell Roan, Jojo Siwa And How Lesbians Took Over Pop Music. Discussing Chappell’s alter ego and approach to her work, Tonic described her experience in a previous interview with the singer. Tonic recalled Roan’s explanation, “Chappell Roan is a character, me as Kayleigh is quite reserved, like shy, like quiet, like I don't really like talking about sex, like I don't really, I don't really put myself out there.” In a recent interview on Q with Tom Power, Roan recalls the moment she understood her alter ego as a drag performance. When her opening act at a London show, drag queen Crayola (@crayolathequeen), expressed to her that she wasn't just getting makeup applied but rather transforming. That she was a drag queen. Roan expressed, “That was very altering - that there was something that switched. I really have taken that on as an identity - and it's been very freeing to be like, ‘oh Chappell Roan is my drag project.’” With the rise of this talent, we are left to reflect upon how personas, alter egos, and performance impact everyday individuals and our culture.
For women, queer and marginalized communities - the concept of performance is a well known reality. Amanda Montell, author and linguist, discusses this concept of everyday performance in her book Word Slut (2019). Montell references studies by linguist Dr Jennifer Coates. Coates observed conversations of women amongst their peers in which they disregarded niceties often expected of them. She referred to this phenomenon as “backstage talk.” In her studies of intimate conversations between women, Coates noted the inability to escape from the pressures to present as “normal” or “nice.” In 1999 Cotes wrote, “It remains to be seen whether the overt expression of alternative and subversive femininities backstage only serves to perpetuate the hetero-patriarchal order, by providing an outlet for the frustrations of front stage performance, or is it possible that such backstage rehearsals may lead to new front stage performances?” The use of language is one way we see identity and performance explored, however through physicality and fashion we can see individuals completely transform visually to personify a new identity.
When we move through spaces, how do we alter ourselves to conform to them? And why do we do so? Legendary Drag Queen and artist RuPaul has famously said, “We’re all born naked and the rest is drag.” The way we curate ourselves is a direct reflection of how we wish to be perceived. When taking on visual aesthetics and styles, one can highlight their culture, unity, or use non-conformity to confront the pressures of performance. Through alter egos and experimental performances on the front stage, we can gain greater understanding of ourselves. For gender non-conforming, femme, queer, and marginalized individuals these performances can be liberating and powerful, providing a release from expectations. With anti LGBTQ+ legislation on the rise in America, the importance of visual representation is more vital now than ever. For many, seeing the performances of alter egos is an empowering example of how we can craft our own images and confidence to liberate ourselves.
With artists like Chappell Roan bringing persona and alter ego to the forefront of our cultural conversation, we reflect upon the power of crafted expression and how this art form has been perfected by communities outcast by the patriarchy. Ultimately, this conversation is very complex. There can be undeniable power to the alter ego, while questioning the loss of authenticity. However for vulnerable individuals, we can understand these performances as a path to expression, while preserving one’s internal life and safe space. Performers and performances allow for viewers to share in their revelry and feel a sense of freedom. So, we consider the power of expression both backstage and beyond. How do we find liberation through our identities and performances?
BY REBECCA DOYLE
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