Chappell Roan is turning heartbreak into high art with her new single “The Subway” – a soaring breakup ballad that arrives alongside a delightfully over-the-top music video. Fans have been waiting over a year for this track (Roan first debuted it live dressed as a blunt-smoking Statue of Liberty during last summer’s Gov Ball festival), and the studio version does not disappoint. Over a simmering pop melody produced by her frequent collaborator Dan Nigro, Roan pours out the story of running into an ex on the NYC subway and the emotional spiral that follows. “The cliché of ‘the one that got away’ barely scratches the surface for me with this song,” Roan shared about her inspiration. “I wrote it as I was stumbling around New York with a broken heart, envisioning us on every street, fire escape, coffee shop, park and yes… the subway.” That vivid imagery comes across in both the lyrics – full of yearning and vivid city details – and the track’s cathartic chorus where Roan’s voice absolutely soars.
If the song itself tugs the heartstrings, the “The Subway” video takes viewers on a wild ride through Roan’s psyche. Directed by Amber Grace Johnson, the highly stylized clip finds the flame-haired pop provocateur literally getting dragged by her own Rapunzel-length red hair through the streets of Manhattan. In one standout scene, Roan’s massive red wig gets caught in a taxi door, yanking her down the block in an oversized suit as she sings through the chaos. In another, a green-haired “ghost” of her ex chases Roan through city sidewalks. By the bridge of the song, a subway car magically transforms into a pulsing queer nightclub, complete with Roan cutting off her long hair into a bold bob – a symbolic shedding of the past. It’s a visually immersive mini–film packed with surreal humor (trash even accumulates in that giant wig) and heartfelt drama.
“The Subway” marks Chappell Roan’s first new music since her acclaimed 2023 debut album, and it arrives at a pivotal moment. The Missouri-born singer-songwriter spent the past year opening for Olivia Rodrigo (earning herself a 2025 Grammy Award for Best New Artist in the process) and building a fervent fanbase drawn to her theatrical, “unserious pop” style. That momentum is evident – more than 15,000 fans waited online for the video’s YouTube premiere, and it quickly trended as a must-watch. Early listeners are already comparing the emotive ballad to Olivia’s own “Drivers License” for its relatable post-breakup angst. But with Roan’s unique flair – blending vulnerability, camp, and big vocal moments – “The Subway” solidifies her as a one-of-a-kind pop storyteller. As she belts in the song, “Somebody wore your perfume… it almost killed me,” you can feel both the pain and the freedom of letting go. Chappell Roan has turned a personal heartbreak into an anthemic late-summer cry-along, and in doing so, she proves sometimes the best path forward is through the wild, wig-snatching catharsis of art.
