According to nme.com, The Cure‘s Robert Smith has discussed “obsessive fan behavior” and Chappell Roan‘s sudden rise to fame in a new interview. The artist began discussing his extensive music collection but added it would be “disingenuous” to pretend he would engaged in this year’s pop phenomenons  Charli XCX‘s Brat summer and Chappell Roan’s debut LP, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.

Smith said the records are not aimed at him and that “It would be kind of a bit weird if I was like ‘yeah it’s my favorite thing. I think what they do as artists is really fantastic but I think that probably it would be dishonest if I said it’s what I listen to at home.” But Smith went on to say he had been aware of Roan for a long time, as well as her very sudden ascent to fame in the year since the release of her 2023 debut album.

Roan has been vocal about her experiences of fame this year by venting about the normalization of extreme fan behavior, including “stalking, talking shit online, people who will not leave you alone and yelling at you in public”. Roan adds: “I didn’t know it would feel this bad.”

Photo Credit:  Raymond Flotat