Released in 2020 via Atlantic Records, the track marked the third single of Roan’s critically acclaimed debut LP ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess’. Despite being a fan favourite, the track fell short of receiving early commercial success, trailing behind the ‘Casual’ singer’s other prominent tracks ‘HOT TO GO!’, ‘Red Wine Supernova’ and ‘Good Luck, Babe!’, with the latter peaking at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart.

The Missouri performer’s rise to fame has been remarkable. With almost a decade in the industry, Roan’s late-bloomed commercial success has proven the appeal of her hyper-pop, camp anthems which detail the experiences of queer individuals acknowledging and proudly owning their identities.

Adopting a drag-inspired persona, otherwise known as Chappell Roan, to exhibit her powerful lyricism alongside funky pop backdrops; the singer has always talked highly of drag culture in influencing her artistry, from her visual aesthetic to her sonic development. When speaking to BBC Radio 1 last May about her biggest inspiration, the 27-year-old stated: “No one performs better than a drag queen! They push me to go bigger with my outfits, go bolder with my lyrics. Just kind of like the humour behind pop music [and] behind drag are very similar. So, drag queens are my biggest inspiration, burlesque dancers… just any kind of that really outrageous spectacle”.

@bbcradio1 drag queens are @chappell roan’s biggest inspo! #chappellroan #drag #dragqueen ♬ original sound – BBC Radio 1

‘Pink Pony Club’ delves into the protagonist’s experience (potentially Roan’s) of moving from the Midwest to LA and discovering the bodacious and vibrant gay nightlife within the city. The protagonist becomes a dancer for a West Hollywood club, against the wishes or her mother and those in her hometown. The now Number 1 track captivatingly portrays Roan’s fiercely bold persona, one of which has established the singer as a powerful sapphic symbol, promoting both vulnerability and confidence in her queerness and inspiring thousands of listeners alike.

The synth-pop track has achieved heightened attention following Roan placing ‘Pink Pony Club’ at the forefront of her recent musical appearances. The Midwest Princess recently performed the song at the 2025 Grammy Awards, the same ceremony which saw her win Best New Artist.

Even across the pond in the UK, Roan has received a surge in popularity, earning herself two BRIT Awards, one for International Artist of the Year and the other for International Song of the Year for her track ‘Good Luck, Babe!’. In true Chappell Roan style, her acceptance speech saw the singer dedicate the award to “trans artists, drag queens, fashion students, sex workers and Sinead O’Connor.” These actions make the long awaited success of ‘Pink Pony Club’ on this week’s chart even more admirable.

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/chappell-roans-pink-pony-club-reaches-uk-number-1/feed/ 0 https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/top-five-songs-on-this-weeks-official-charts/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/top-five-songs-on-this-weeks-official-charts/#comments Sat, 15 Feb 2025 17:11:09 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=106817 The first weeks of 2025 were characterised by a very still wave on UK charts: Gracie Abrams continuously claimed the number one position while Rosé finished second and Lola Young attempted a chart climb. Now, however, the dynamics have changed: Young has finally managed to achieve number one and has claimed the position for a few consecutive weeks, while some new entries have debuted in the top five. This week’s top five songs not only showcase a blend of emerging talents and established artists but also reflect the diverse musical tastes resonating across the country.

Abrams’s ‘That’s So True‘, which charted last week as number three has fallen to the fourteenth position, while ‘Apt’ by Rosé and Bruno Mars currently charts at number eight. While we predicted last week that Lady Gaga’s ‘Abracadabra’ would challenge Young’s ‘Messy’ for number one, the America Singer has yet to climb to that position and currently charts at number three.

1. Lola Young – ‘Messy‘

It is British pop sensation Lola Young’s fourth week as number one, after climbing charts for ten weeks. The song originally debuted at number 87, weeks after it was released on streaming platforms; its success is mainly to be attributed to its popularity on the TikTok platform, where it went viral last year. It is the artist’s first and only song to achieve the number one position, as well as her first song to ever chart.

2. Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us‘

Lamar’s latest album, ‘GNX‘, debuted at number one in the UK upon its release. ‘Not Like Us’ originally debuted on UK charts in May of last year at number 10 and eventually fell out of the top 20, charting at 94 two weeks ago. But with Lamar’s recent (and widely discussed) Super Bowl halftime performance, the song has once again climbed charts.

3. Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra‘

Last week, we had predicted that Gaga’s spell with ‘Abracadabra’ would claim the number one position over Young’s ‘Messy’, since it has debuted at number six with only a couple days of chart units. However, ‘Abracadabra’  has still to climb a couple positions before it can mark the artist’s fifth number one song.

4. Chappell Roan – ‘Pink Pony Club‘

After 13 weeks charting in the UK, this is ‘Pink Pony Club’s peak. The song was originally released in 2023, but it gained more and more popularity throughout the past year when Chappell Roan’s debuted album ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess‘ peaked at number one. If the song managed to climb up the charts and reach number one, it would mark the artist’s first song to achieve the position.

5. Chrystal – ‘The Days‘

‘The Days’ is Chrystal’s first song to make it on the UK’s Official Songs Charts. It debuted at number 96 in late 2024 and has since been climbing up the charts, peaking at number four for three consecutive weeks. The song was originally released on TikTok, where it gained world wide attention.