Chappell Roan, Pink Pony Club | Beaming with Pride

In the 22nd edition of Beaming with Pride (2025), we highlight the song “Pink Pony Club” performed by Chappell Roan. 

Prepare to beam with P-R-I-D-E ️‍! Beaming with Pride celebrates, embraces, and spotlights songs by LGBTQ musicians or allies.  Here, we provide background and insight into musician(s) and analyze + go gaga over the decadent bops served up.  When the music dictates deeper, more transcendent discussion, we ensure the point is fully articulated.  All styles of music are welcome while the songs can be classics or brand-spanking new. So, without further ado, in the 22^nd edition of Beaming with Pride (2025), we highlight “Pink Pony Club” performed by Chappell Roan.

“I know you wanted me to stay / But I can’t ignore the crazy visions of me in L.A.” Understandable, considering Los Angeles is much more progressive than the South and much of the Midwest. Pop singer/songwriter Chappell Roan (Kayleigh Rose Amstutz) continues singing in the first verse of “Pink Pony Club”, “And I heard that there’s a special place / Where boys and girls can all be queens every single day.” Yaasss, Queen ! Chappell Roan had a huge year in 2024.  That is an understatement. Ultimately, the lesbian musician won a well-deserved Grammy for Best New Artist in 2025. Notably, at the 67^th Annual GRAMMY Awards, she performed “Pink Pony Club,” the superb 11^th track from her Grammy-nominated debut LP, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.  Although The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess was not released until 2023, “Pink Pony Club” dates back to 2020. Amstutz and producer Dan Nigro penned the gem, which reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

So, does this Pink Pony Club exist in real life? No, but the fictionalized gay bar is based on a gay bar where Chappell Roan visited in Santa Monica (The Abbey).  In this escapist song, the protagonist wants to (and does) leave the South (Tennessee, specifically) for Santa Monica. But her aspirations won’t be well-received by Mama… The South is different (I know from experience). Despite what Mama thinks, Roan asserts, “Oh, Mama / I’m just having fun / On the stage in my heels, it’s where I belong.” That leads to the centerpiece, the chorus:

“Down at the

Pink Pony Club, I’m gonna keep dancing at the

Pink Pony Club, I’m gonna keep on dancing down in

West Hollywood, I’m gonna keep on dancing at the

Pink Pony Club, Pink Pony Club.”

West Hollywood is a prominent LGBTQ+ area . In the second verse, Roan’s character’s confidence is ‘through the roof.” She feels more comfortable, memorably asserting, “Every night’s another reason why I left it all.” Still, she has not forgotten where she came from: “Still love you [Mama] and Tennessee, you’re always on my mind.” Chappell Roan sings beautifully, bringing the memorable melodies to life.  The production and sound of “Pink Pony Club” is awesome as well (keys, synths, groove, and a guitar solo).  It is not surprising that this pop record has caught the ears of the world.

Chappell Roan // The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess // KRA International Inc. / Island / UMG Recordings, Inc. // 2023

Chappell Roan, Pink Pony Club: Beaming with Pride No. 22 (2025) [: Brent Faulkner/ The Musical Hype; KRA International Inc., Island, UMG Recordings, Inc.; Elias Souza, Mario Spencer, Mizuno K from Pexels;  All_CC0_Public_domain, CatsWithGlasses, David, ernestflowerss, Kelly, M. Harris, Marek Studzinski, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]