Inspired by Chappell Roan's recent transparency about the disorientation of her dizzyingly skyrocketing to fame and the need to set boundaries as a public figure (which people have been unnecessarily weird about her doing), Toronto-based pop artist Ralph has unearthed a raw video she had saved to her TikTok drafts last year where she opened up about the mental toll of pursuing a music career.
The clip sees the singer-songwriter on a nature walk following a call with her manager about tickets for her North American tour behind 2023's 222 EP not selling as well as they'd hoped. "We're probably just going to cancel or postpone a bunch of the shows," Ralph explained tearfully. "It is what it is. When you're an independent artist, you have to get used to the intense rollercoaster ride that is your job."
"The bottom line is it's really fucking hard, and it doesn't always come down to hard work or talent," she said, adding that luck is always a huge factor. "I know I'm not supposed to post stuff on here that makes me seem desperate or unconfident as a musician and a person, because that's not desirable as a viewer."
The artist continued, "And the funny thing is, I'm not unconfident. I'm actually really confident in my skills," expressing her frustration that people who aren't already her fans don't know what she has to offer. "At this point, if you're not charting on the radio and if you're not viral on TikTok, it's really fucking hard to get your name out there."
Ralph went on to reminisce about having luck and radio success early on in her career, but admits, "COVID kind of fucked me."
"Do I keep pushing at something I know I'm passionate about, something I love — or, on the other hand, if it's this hard, maybe it's not just meant to be anymore," she questioned, explaining that she felt trapped between the two tropes of "never give up" and "let it go."
The musician concluded, "I definitely love doing music, it's my passion — but at a certain point, your mental health matters."
It's really refreshing to see that Roan's transparency is empowering other performers to show the real struggle at the heart of their shared pursuit, which artists of all shapes and sizes (and most people, really) can undoubtedly relate to. Watch Ralph's video below, and check out her music if you haven't already — "Tommy" was my 2021 Song of the Summer and it still hits!