Rob Halford Sings the Praises of Chappell Roan and Lady Gaga
Get your hot rockin’ to go, because Rob Halford is apparently a pop music fan.
In a recent interview with the Houston Chronicle, the Metal God was asked about what pop artists were currently on his playlist, and the long-time Judas Priest frontman instantly spit out two names: Chappell Roan and Lady Gaga.
“Chappell (Roan) is amazing. I turned on to Gaga instantly. Her talent is just extraordinary. And she says she’s a huge fan of Chappell. The way that the torch is passed from performer to performer, artist to artist, it’s a beautiful thing to do. What’s remarkable about people like Gaga or Taylor Swift is their longevity. They’re called pop artists. Is that the right word to call them? I don’t know. But pop, for as long as I can remember, for the most part, and don’t get me wrong here, it’s almost dispensable because there’s so much of it. It’s such a beautiful expression. It’s like catching fireflies. Pop songs can be gigantic, and then you’ll never hear them again. But then you’ll get a Madonna or a Cher or a Gaga, or hopefully Chappell or a Taylor Swift. The way they craft their music, it becomes immortal. I’ll still be banging my head to “Paparazzi” on my deathbed. I don’t know whether it’s because I’m a gay man and I just have this joy and love of all things creative and arts, I absorb it. I don’t believe in barriers. I don’t believe in walls. I don’t believe in censorship. I think that all music is a feast. All of it touches me in various ways. And I translate all of that into my own work.”
This actually isn’t the first time that Rob Halford has talked about his love of Gaga. In his 2020 autobiography, Confess, Halford details his love of her music and how that led to an unlikely friendship between the Judas Priest frontman and the pop star. Following the critical failure of Joker: Folie à Deux, I’m glad to know that Gaga has plenty of friends to turn to.
Also in 2020, Halford revealed what songs he’d like to perform with the pop star, and said he’d like to join her for “Born This Way” because of how he relates to it as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and that he’d love to have her join him for Judas Priest’s classic “Breaking the Law.” You know what? Say what you want, but I would enjoy watching that.
