Chappell Roan's music and career have aligned with me on levels many, both from a listenership perspective and deep within the LGBTQ+ community. Her vocal and enthusiastic support towards this community, going as far as to amplify lesbian voices as actively as possible, means so much to me. In a landscape where diverse queer representation is thin on the ground, Chappell shines bright as a beacon for inclusivity and pride. But rather than positive statements, it's an enactment of that through art and performance in which her presence is anecdotal to starving queer fans who need this. What is singularly special about Chappell Roan is how she brings those lesbian voices that have always been marginalized and silenced into the mainstream. She celebrates herself rather unapologetically, and that has allowed me to see myself a little more and gives many others the confidence to be themselves. Living in a world where so many of these lesbian experiences have gone unheard, Chappell creates an avenue for us to be heard, validated, and celebrated. She has this confidence on stage that keeps on inspiring me. The amount of passion, energy, and love she puts into everything she does leaves me in awe whenever I get to see her on stage. Not a lot of the young, up-and-coming artists are as confident as she is, and it's just such a treat to watch. Chappell fills performances with contagious energy; she just reeks of self-love, and that is something I admire. This just reminds me that loving oneself and being unapologetically oneself can change not only one's life but also others' when they look up to them. Supporting Chappell Roan is supporting an extremely talented artist who is pushing the boundaries, and changing the landscape of representation. She's a very important voice, whether about her artistry or her activism. Her music and career make me feel strong about my identity, support others in the community, and amplify voices that usually never get a chance to be heard.

The line in Olivia Rodrigo's "Making The Bed" succinctly summarizes the confusion of being a teenager: "I got the things I wanted, it's just not what I imagined." That one line simply explains the tension between expectation and reality, how many teenagers begin to achieve things they have always wanted but find out the fulfillment they expected may well not come with the achievement. We find ourselves throughout much of our adolescence daydreaming about the future, how such and such a thing will bring us happiness or a feeling of completion. Perhaps this is becoming popular, getting in with a group of friends, getting good grades, or even getting the independence we crave; all of these things we visualize in our minds as keys to happiness. And then, when we finally get them, they oftentimes don't feel quite so satisfying. The lyric just perfectly encapsulates the feeling of disillusionment in that second when you realize that your dreams may not be all the emotional fulfillment you ever thought they would be. This line also alludes to the pains of growing up: figuring out who you are, what you want, and how those desires change as you grow. There is often the chasing of goals instigated by the pressures on teenagers from social expectations or desire for approval. But the moment all those goals are achieved, there is usually an emptiness residing afterward, a realization that the things one wanted aren't exactly what fit one's authentic self. That might be part of the journey to self-discovery in which there comes a kind of realization that real happiness usually actually emanates from the inside rather than from external achievement. Finally, Rodrigo's lyric captures the inevitable emotional tides that sweep one up in growing up. His most characteristic feature-occasional rapid changes along with so much uncertainty that dreams, desires, and relationships are recast. The things that seemed so important probably don't mean quite as much anymore, and the future feels confusing and uncertain. That is the bitter-sweet awareness of the knowledge that with maturing does not only come the fulfilling of wishes but also solving the ways for reasoning out emotions related to the achievements. This lyric of "Making The Bed" poignantly pinpoints the universal fact in adolescent development: that the journey to self-fulfillment is often much more complex than we envision it, and true happiness can't always be found in what we once thought would bring it.