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Pink Pony Club

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"Pink Pony Club"
The cover artwork for "Pink Pony Club". The cover features Roan under a pink light, wearing a pink dress and hat under a black background.
Single by Chappell Roan
from the album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
B-side"Naked in Manhattan"
ReleasedApril 3, 2020 (2020-04-03)
GenreSynth-pop[1]
Length4:18
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Daniel Nigro
Chappell Roan singles chronology
"School Nights"
(2018) 		"Pink Pony Club"
(2020) 		"Love Me Anyway"
(2020)
Music video
"Pink Pony Club" on YouTube

"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.

"Pink Pony Club" enjoyed largely positive reception amidst the rise of Roan's popularity after the release of its parent album, receiving praise for its musical composition and its story. The song drew commercial success four years after its initial release, charting within the top ten in the charts of Ireland, the top 20 in the United Kingdom, and the top 30 in the United States.

Background and composition

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refer to caption
"Pink Pony Club" was inspired by Roan's visit to The Abbey (pictured in 2018), a gay bar in West Hollywood, California, in 2018.

Kayleigh Amstutz, who uses the stage name Chappell Roan to honor her grandfather Dennis Chappell,[2] was inspired to write "Pink Pony Club" after visiting The Abbey, a gay bar in West Hollywood, California, in 2018. Roan, who had recently moved from her hometown of Springfield, Missouri, stated that visiting the bar was "the first time I could truly be myself and not be judged".[3] At the bar, she became enthralled with the performing go-go dancers, stating that seeing them "sparked [something] in me... I want[ed] to be a go-go dancer. So I just wrote a song about it."[4] According to Roan, they had previously struggled with accepting themself in Springfield, stating in Headliner, "I always had such a hard time being myself and felt like I'd be judged for being different or being creative", adding that the bar was "something that I couldn't really have experienced here in Missouri... It was completely eye opening and changed my direction from that point on."[5]

The song follows the story of a woman from a small town in Tennessee who moves to Southern California, taking a job as a stripper at a gay strip club[1][6][7] inspired by a local strip club in Roan's former hometown of Springfield, Missouri, that was in "all hot pink".[8] The woman's mother disapproves of the job upon hearing the news, saying to her daughter, "God, what have you done?"[7] However, despite her mother's opinions, the woman opts to stay at her job, stating that "I'm just having fun", having found in what was described in a Capital Buzz analysis as a "safe space where you feel free to be exactly who you are".[9]

Writing and release

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"Pink Pony Club" was written by Chappell Roan (left) and Dan Nigro (right).

The song was written by Roan and Dan Nigro in two days.[10] Initially, Roan's label at the time, Atlantic Records, tried to dissuade her from releasing the song as the company thought it deviated too much from Roan's past songs, leaving Roan "devastated", making her "second-guess herself".[11] According to Roan, Atlantic Records refused to release the song for a year before they relented.[1] "Pink Pony Club" was officially released on April 3, 2020.[3]

Music video

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Along with the song's official release, an accompanying music video directed by Griffin Stoddard was released on the same day.[3] The video features cameos from drag queens Victoria "Porkchop" Parker and Meatball.[12][13] Roan, who was visibly nervous in the music video, stated that she was "absolutely terrified" of her performance during production.[5] The video takes place in "a Midwest dive bar", with Roan, Porkchop, and Meatball performing on the bar's stage[14] to a few leather-clad bikers, eventually turning the bikers into "leather daddies".[7] In an analysis by The Conversation's Jonathan Graffam–O'Meara, it represents "the utopic potentiality of performance" for queer people from "the stultifying and oppressive real world that awaits performers and audiences outside of venues".[14]

Critical reception

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Initially, the song received largely negative feedback according to Roan.[9] Upon the release of The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, "Pink Pony Club" received largely positive reception. Vulture's Rebecca Alter praised the song, describing it as a "synthy infectious bangarang... It's a stripper anthem that squeezes itself in perfectly with the likes of 'WAP' and 'Twerkulator,' just with a little bit more of a drama-kid kick."[7] In a review of the song's parent album, Pitchfork's Olivia Horn proclaimed "Pink Pony Club" to be a "bold and uproarious pop project stitched with stories about discovering love, sex, and oneself in a new place."[15] Both The Guardian's Kitty Empire and BBC News' Mark Savage credited the song as Roan's first career hit, with both describing the song as a liberating queer party anthem.[16][17] Paste's Eric Bennett described the song as a "immediately memorable artistic statement", praising the song's chorus.[18] In response to the song's success, Roan stated in Capital Buzz to detractors of "Pink Pony Club", "it's like damn bitch, were you wrong? It was the worst time ever to release a gay club song [around the pandemic]. And it still had such an impact."[9]

Live performances

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Amidst Roan's rise in popularity, "Pink Pony Club" has been performed by Roan in various formats. The song has been performed at major United States music festivals as Roan's closing song, including the Boston Calling Music Festival,[19] the Capitol Hill Block Party,[20] the Hinterland Music Festival,[21] Outside Lands,[22] Lollapalooza,[23] and the Austin City Limits Music Festival.[24] It has also been performed at the Canadian Osheaga Festival.[25] The song has also been featured on the online video concert series NPR Tiny Desk.[26] On November 2, 2024, Roan performed the song on an appearance for Saturday Night Live.[27]

Commercial performance

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Over four years after its initial release, "Pink Pony Club" debuted on number 90 of the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending June 29, 2024.[28] The song has currently peaked at number 26 on the chart dated August 24, 2024.[29] Internationally, it has peaked within the top ten in Ireland[30] and within the top 20 in the United Kingdom.[31] "Pink Pony Club" has received a Platinum certification from Music Canada,[32] Gold certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America[33] and Recorded Music NZ,[34] and a Silver certification from the British Phonographic Industry.[35]

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for "Pink Pony Club"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[32] Platinum 80,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[34] Gold 15,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[35] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[33] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Release history and formats for "Pink Pony Club"
Country Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Various April 3, 2020
Atlantic [‡ 1]
United States December 16, 2024 7-inch vinyl Island [43]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Shafer, Ellise (September 22, 2023). "Confessions of a 'Midwest Princess': How Chappell Roan's Debut Album Arose From the 'Deep Pits of Hell' to Become a 'Dream Come True'". Variety. Archived from the original on August 28, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  2. ^ Grady, Constance (July 2, 2024). "Chappell Roan spent 7 years becoming an overnight success". Vox Media. Archived from the original on July 20, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "V Exclusive: Chappell Roan's 'Pink Pony Club' out NOW!". V. April 3, 2020. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  4. ^ Kubota, Samantha (August 16, 2024). "Is Chappell Roan's 'Pink Pony Club' a real place?". Today. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Gustafson, Alice. "Chappell Roan: how an unforgettable night at a gay club led to Pink Pony Club". Headliner Magazine. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  6. ^ Gibbs, Audrey (October 2, 2024). "'Midwest Princess' Chappell Roan takes the throne at Franklin, Tennessee concert". The Tennessean. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d Alter, Rebecca (May 27, 2021). "What If I Told You the Song of Summer 2021 Is This Stripper's Delight From Summer 2020?". Vulture. Archived from the original on May 28, 2021. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  8. ^ Yohn, Madison (February 17, 2023). "We Sat Down With Chappell Roan, A Springfield Native Turned Pop Artist". Springfield, Missouri. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c Prance, Sam (August 19, 2024). "Chappell Roan Explains The Emotional Meaning Behind Her 'Pink Pony Club' Lyrics". Capital Buzz. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  10. ^ Salles, Vanessa (May 11, 2020). "Chappell Roan". The Daily Shuffle. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2024 – via Issuu.
  11. ^ Blistein, Jon (September 10, 2024). "Chappell Roan's Former Label Tried to Stop Her From Releasing 'Pink Pony Club'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  12. ^ Greene, Shevon (September 22, 2023). "Q&A: Chappell Roan Embraces Inner Child on Debut Album 'The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess'". The Luna Collective. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  13. ^ Breedon, Jakk (April 3, 2020). ""Pink Pony Club" sees Chappell Roan go on her own fluid-journey of self discovery". A1234. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Graffam–O’Meara, Jonathan (July 9, 2024). "Can a woman be a drag queen? Chappell Roan shows anyone of any gender can perform in drag". The Conversation. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  15. ^ Horn, Olivia (September 27, 2023). "Chappell Roan: The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  16. ^ Empire, Kitty (September 21, 2024). "Chappell Roan review – a super graphic ultra modern showbiz star". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on September 30, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  17. ^ Savage, Mark (April 9, 2024). "Chappell Roan is the freaky, fun pop star you need to know". BBC News. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  18. ^ Bennett, Eric (December 28, 2023). "No Album Left Behind: Chappell Roan Introduces Her Brazen, Theatrical Self on The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess". Paste. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  19. ^ Alterisio, Heather; DaPonte, Kristina; Jonas, Annie; Slane, Kevin (May 24, 2024). "Boston Calling 2024: Live updates from the festival". Boston.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  20. ^ Romano, Tricia (July 24, 2024). "Chappell Roan Booked a Tour. Then She Blew Up". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 7, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  21. ^ Dehner, Tony; Fischels, Josie; King, Madeleine Charis; Mitchell, Cece; Pham, Lucius; Scanga, Anthony (August 7, 2024). "We'll All Be Here Forever: Hinterland 2024 in a nutshell, or perhaps a pink pony hat". Iowa Public Radio. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  22. ^ Harrington, Jim (August 12, 2024). "Review: How did the most highly anticipated set of Outside Lands turn out?". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  23. ^ Cross, Greta (August 5, 2024). "Willard native Chappell Roan calls out hometown ex during Lollapalooza set". Springfield News-Leader. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  24. ^ Kamnetz, Taylor (October 14, 2024). "Chappell Roan performs final 'Pink Pony Club' of 2024 at ACL Fest, calls platinum lounge 'freaks'". Lone Star Live. Archived from the original on October 14, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  25. ^ Stoodley, Chris (August 8, 2024). "Chappell Roan proves she's a pop superstar at Osheaga 2024, as Montreal's 'Pink Pony Club' parties in sweltering heat". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  26. ^ Thompson, Stephen (March 21, 2024). "Chappell Roan: Tiny Desk Concert". NPR. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  27. ^ Chitwood, Adam (November 3, 2024). "Chappell Roan Debuts New Country-Tinged Song on 'SNL' | Video". TheWrap. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  28. ^ "Billboard Hot 100: Week of June 29, 2024". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  29. ^ a b "Chappell Roan Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  30. ^ a b "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  31. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  32. ^ a b "Canadian single certifications – Chappell Roan – Pink Pony Club". Music Canada. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  33. ^ a b "American single certifications – Chappell Roan – Pink Pony Club". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  34. ^ a b "New Zealand single certifications – Chappell Roan – Pink Pony Club". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved October 5, 2024.[dead link‍]
  35. ^ a b "British single certifications – Chappell Roan – Pink Pony Club". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  36. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 30 September 2024". The ARIA Report. No. 1804. Australian Recording Industry Association. September 30, 2024. p. 4.
  37. ^ "Chappell Roan Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  38. ^ "Chappell Roan Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  39. ^ "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Weekly Chart: Oct 10, 2024". TopHit. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  40. ^ "Official Top 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. November 15, 2024. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  41. ^ "Chappell Roan Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  42. ^ "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Monthly Chart: October 2024". TopHit. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  43. ^ https://store.islandrecords.com/collections/chappell-roan/products/pink-pony-club-7-single

Primary sources

In the text these references are preceded by a double dagger (‡):

  1. ^ "Pink Pony Club - Song by Chappell Roan". Apple Music (US). April 3, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
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