Radio 1 fans have branded the BBC Sound of 2025 winner as ‘pointless’.
Chappel Roan was crowned the winner of the popular award on Friday after being chosen by a panel of more than 180 industry experts and artists, including Elton John, Sam Smith and Dua Lipa.
However, music fans have criticized the decision to bestow the honor on the American singer-songwriter, 26, as she is an already established artist, with many arguing the award should be reserved for emerging singers.
Chappel, whose real name is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, rose to fame in 2024 when she opened for Olivia Rodrigo ‘s Guts World Tour in the US and Canada from February to April.
The Pink Pony Club singer released her debut studio album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess in September 2023, which hit number one in the UK and Irish charts and the top 5 in the US last year.
Chappell has since achieved huge commercial success, with the past year seeing her sell out tours, play Saturday Night Live, headline festivals and even rack up six Grammy nominations.
Radio 1 fans have branded the BBC Sound of 2025 winner as ‘pointless’
Chappel Roan was crowned the winner of the popular award on Friday after being chosen by a panel of more than 180 industry experts and artists, including Elton John, Sam Smith and Dua Lipa. [Pictured with Jack Saunders]
Amid the artist’s recent win following her global success, fans took to X to complain about the ‘pointless’ win, declaring the BBC ‘got it wrong’.
They wrote: ‘The BBC calling Chappell Roan ‘the sound of 2025’ is so funny to me, that album came out in 2023, she was one of the sounds of 2024! You’re wrong! You can’t just get a second chance! Does Radio 1 just play its old songs, this year’s sound?
“She was the sound of 2024, right?”
“Uh, whatever happened to the days of picking up and spotlighting relative up-and-coming unknowns? Brave to pick the Mercury winners and one of the biggest pop stars in the world right now. What a pointless exercise.’
‘Like CHAPPELL ROAN won the BBC Sound Of 2025, one of the biggest pop stars of 2024 and headlined festivals around the world. tours sold out in minutes….sound of…2025??????’
Good luck, honey! Hitmaker received the award from Radio 1 presenter Jack Saunders, who then praised her as ‘most exciting artist of the past twelve months’.
In a statement, he shared, “No one deserves this award more than Chappell Roan. She was the most exciting artist of the last 12 months and will now be THE artist of the next 12 months.
“The success is all her own doing: standing tall in the face of the doubters and keeping her community close to fuel the energy of her shows and musical movements. Congratulations Chappell, 2025 is your year!’
However, music fans have criticized the decision to bestow the honor on the American singer-songwriter, 26, as she is an already established artist, with many arguing that the award should be reserved for emerging singers.
The Pink Pony Club singer released her debut studio album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess in September 2023, which hit number one in the UK and Irish charts and the top 5 in the US last year.
Amid the artist’s recent win following her global success, fans took to X to complain about the ‘pointless’ win, declaring the BBC ‘got it wrong’
The Missouri-born singer took first place, ahead of Ezra Collective, Barry Can’t Swim, Myles Smith and English Teacher.
Other artists on the 2025 longlist included Confidence Man, Doechii, Good Neighbors, KNEECAP, Mk.gee and Pozer.
Sound of… started in 2003 and saw 50 Cent, Adele and HAIM, among others, crowned winners. Other artists who won include Stormzy, Lady Gaga, Dizzee Rascal, The Weeknd, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish and Lewis Capaldi.
The British girl group FLO took first place in 2023.
In December, Chappel talked about how “hard” it was working at a drive-thru coffee shop during the COVID pandemic.
The Grammy-nominated singer had a day job like everyone else in 2020.
During a recent video interview With Canadian journalist Nardwuar at the Sonido Del Valle record store in Los Angeles, Chappell reminisced about her life before fame.
When Nardwuar said the words “Scooters Coffee” to her, Chappell — who recently sang a duet with Sabrina Carpenter — simply replied, “Angels,” with a smile on her face.
The Missouri-born singer took first place, ahead of Ezra Collective, Barry Can’t Swim, Myles Smith and English Teacher
In December, Chappel opened up about how “hard” it was working at a drive-thru coffee shop during the COVID pandemic
The singer talked about her former job during an interview with Canadian journalist Nardwuar
The star shared more information about her previous job, telling him: ‘It was a drive-thru, you know. Wore the headphones. It was great. I had a great time.’
She continued, “It was during the pandemic. I look back at that time and I think… that was damn hard, that was hard.
‘It’s fun when you’re with your friends. It’s really hard anyway, but it’s not fun when you’re not with your friends, when you’re not with people you enjoy working with.”
She then admitted, “But the hardest part is having headphones on and having someone at the window, and at the same time taking an order, typing it in and giving them the right change.”
“So you’re talking to two or three different people at the same time, and you’re making drinks!” Chappell added.