Chappell Roan Responds "I Do Not Hate Children" After Fan Controversy
Grammy-winning singer Chappell Roan found herself at the center of a social media controversy during her appearance at Lollapalooza Brazil after Brazilian-Italian soccer star Jorginho Frello alleged that one of her security guards aggressively confronted his 11-year-old stepdaughter for simply glancing at the singer during breakfast.
Jorginho, who plays for Flamengo and is married to British singer Catherine Harding, said the family was staying at the same São Paulo hotel as Roan when the incident occurred. His stepdaughter, Ada Law — the daughter Harding shares with British actor Jude Law — spotted Roan in the hotel dining room and walked past her table to confirm it was her before returning to sit with her mother.
Jorginho's Account of the Confrontation
According to Jorginho, his daughter did not speak to Roan, ask for anything, or approach her directly. Shortly after she returned to the family's table, he said a security guard came over and spoke aggressively to both Harding and the child, accusing the girl of disrespecting and harassing the singer.
"She simply walked past the singer's table, looked to confirm it was her, smiled, and went back to sit with her mum," Jorginho wrote in a lengthy Instagram post in both Portuguese and English. He said his daughter was left "extremely shaken" and cried afterward.
In all-capital letters, the soccer star concluded his post by directing a message at Roan: "WITHOUT YOUR FANS, YOU WOULD BE NOTHING. AND TO THE FANS, SHE DOES NOT DESERVE YOUR AFFECTION."
Roan's Response
Roan addressed the incident the following day on Instagram Stories, firmly denying she had any role in the security guard's actions. She said she did not see the woman and child at breakfast, was not approached by them, and did not ask anyone to confront them.
"I did not ask the security guard to go up and talk to this mother and child," she said. "They did not come up to me — they weren't doing anything."
Roan acknowledged that the security response was inappropriate and expressed sympathy for the family. "It's unfair for security to just assume someone doesn't have good intentions," she said. "I do not hate people who are fans of my music. I do not hate children — that is crazy." She added: "I'm sorry to the mother and child that someone was assuming that you would do something. You did not deserve that."
Rio's Mayor Weighs In
The dispute drew an unexpected political response. Eduardo Cavaliere, who was sworn in as Rio de Janeiro's new mayor just the day before, commented on the incident Saturday night, saying Roan would not be permitted to perform on Copacabana Beach — where Madonna and Lady Gaga have held massive free concerts and where Shakira have is scheduled to perform — as long as he was in office.
Cavaliere invited Ada Law to attend Shakira's upcoming free concert on the beach as a guest of honor.
Roan and the Boundaries Debate
The incident is the latest in an ongoing public conversation about Roan's approach to fame and personal boundaries. Since rising to prominence with her debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess — and winning the Grammy for Best New Artist in February — Roan has been vocal about what she describes as the exploitative and intrusive aspects of celebrity.
Weeks before the São Paulo incident, she went viral after confronting paparazzi and autograph seekers who followed her to a Paris restaurant, filming them on her phone and asking them to stop following her.
The controversy has divided opinion. Some fellow artists, including Doja Cat, have praised her willingness to speak out. Others, like Boy George, have suggested she embrace the attention that comes with fame rather than push back against it, writing on social media, "The trick is to own your fame. Yes, it's annoying at times, but so is being ignored and told your [sic] a 'has-been.' Life is always now, and I think Chappell looks great, but cheer up, girl. The world is at your feet. Stop kicking it!"
Jorginho later posted an update showing his daughter's excitement at attending Sabrina Carpenter's Lollapalooza set. "Everything is well with the girls, and thanks for the messages," he wrote.
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