By Kourtney Gierke, Staff Writer

[Island Records; 2025]

Rating: 6/10

The Midwest Princess is back with a new single, this time taking a campy and country turn. Chappell Roan dropped “The Giver” on March 13, a sparkly pop song full of country motifs. From the fiddle lead throughout the track to her witty and fun lyrics, Roan is stepping into a new and fresh era for her music.

Chappell Roan’s lyricism takes us to a Friday night at a country bar, full of “na na nas” and a chorus of men singing “she gets the job done.” In the chorus, she declares that she’s not a “country boy quitter” like the subject of the single, and is instead a giver that can get the job done. Her verses are full of witty mockery of gender normalities, such as men who hang antlers on their wall or rev their engines loud.

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The production is equally interesting. Although the sounds of fiddles and banjos may be typical of your regular country anthem, it sounds unique mixed with Roan’s voice and style. Additionally, the sound takes listeners back to the roots of many living in the midwest, which fits her aesthetic well.

Although Roan has great lyrics and sound in the new single, the song does fall short at times. “The Giver” sounds too much like a parody at times and can err on the side of too simplistic.

Even if that was the goal, there could’ve been more creativity with both the production and lyrics. The song is catchy, but not entirely memorable.

Still, Chappell Roan is definitely turning a new leaf in her sound. Stepping away from last album’s concept of a Midwest Princess and experimenting with gender norms – from construction workers to plumbers – in this era’s promo. It will be exciting to see what she has to offer.

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5xHgo5JN0wfsV41HnRaos5?utm_source=generator