"Casual" is a song by American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. It was released on October 28, 2022 and later became the sixth single off of Roan's debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. The track was initially released independently following Roan's departure from Atlantic Records and was later re-released through Amusement Records and Island Records.
Background[]
After being dropped by Atlantic Records in August 2020,[1][2] Roan briefly moved back to Missouri to work on her music independently while working in a drive-through.[3] In 2022, she moved back to Los Angeles to continue working on her music while working a series of odd jobs, including as a production assistant and working in a donut shop. She then earned a publishing deal with Sony, and released a string of independent singles, "Naked In Manhattan", "My Kink Is Karma" and "Femininomenon".[4] "Casual" was announced as Roan's fourth independent single on October 8, 2022 and released on October 28.[5] The track would be Roan's final independent single before signing with Daniel Nigro's imprint label, Amusement Records.
A rough demo of the song was featured as a bonus tracks on Tidal, along with a "studio live version". They went unnoticed until September 1, 2024. Notably, the demo featured no bridge and slightly different lyrics.
| “ | The whole song came from like, I heard from their friend that they were saying it was casual, when I didn’t think it was. I did not think it was, but apparently it was, so. And to me I was like, how could this be? How could this be casual?.[6] | ” |
Critical Reception[]
Pitchfork commented that the track's "stacked vocals give it the flavor of a Chicks song" and noted that "With biting candor, Roan describes an all-too-common reality".[7]
Composition[]
Musically, "Casual" is a Indie-Pop track with influences of Soft Rock, Country Pop, Neo-Psychedelia and Dream Pop. It's composed in the key of D♭ Major and has a tempo of 131 beats per minute.
Photoshoot[]
A photoshoot by Ryan Clemens was conducted for the song.
Behind The Scenes[]
Audio[]
Music Video[]
| |
| Video | Chappell Roan - Casual (Official Music Video) |
| Premiere | Unknown |
| Length | 6:35 |
| Director | Hadley Hillel |
| Producer | Gia Rigoli |
Behind The Scenes[]
Visualizer[]
Chappell Roan - Casual (Official Visualizer)
The song's official visualizer was released on October 28, 2022.
Commercial Release[]
- Casual - Single
 |
Label(s): KRA International Inc. Format(s): Digital Released: October 28, 2022 Photography: Ryan Clemens Design: Unknown |
|---|
| # | Name | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Casual" | 3:53 |
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
My friends call me a loser
'Cause I'm still hanging around
I've heard so many rumors
That I'm just a girl that you bang on your couch
I thought you thought of me better
Someone you couldn't lose
You said, "We're not together"
So now when we kiss, I have anger issues
[Pre-Chorus]
You said, "Baby, no attachment"
But we're
[Chorus]
Knee-deep in the passenger seat and you're eating me out
Is it casual now?
Two weeks and your mom invites me to her house in Long Beach
Is it casual now?
I know what you tell your friends
It's casual, if it's casual now
Then baby, get me off again
If it's casual, it's casual now
[Verse 2]
Dumb love, I love being stupid
Dream of us in a year
Maybe we'd have an apartment
And you'd show me off to your friends at the pier
[Pre-Chorus]
I know, "Baby, no attachment"
But we're
[Chorus]
Knee-deep in the passenger seat and you're eating me out
Is it casual now?
Two weeks and your mom invites me to her house in Long Beach
Is it casual now?
I know what you tell your friends
It's casual, if it's casual now
Then baby, get me off again
If it's casual, oh, oh, oh
[Bridge]
It's hard being casual
When my favorite bra lives in your dresser
And it's hard being casual
When I'm on the phone talking down your sister
And I try to be the chill girl that
Holds her tongue and gives you space
I try to be the chill girl but
Honestly, I'm not
[Chorus]
Knee-deep in the passenger seat and you're eating me out
Two weeks and your mom invites me to her Long Beach house
I know what you tell your friends
Baby, get me off again
[Outro]
I fucked you in the bathroom when we went to dinner
Your parents at the table, you wonder why I'm bitter
Bragging to your friends I get off when you hit it
I hate to tell the truth, but I'm sorry, dude, you didn't
I hate that I let this drag on so long, now I hate myself
Hate that I let this drag on so long, you can go to hell
My friends call me a loser
'Cause I'm still hanging around
I've heard so many rumors
That I'm just a girl that you bang on your couch
I thought you thought of me better
Someone you couldn't lose
You said, "We're not together"
So now when we kiss, I have anger issues
I know, "Baby, no attachment"
But we're
Knee deep in the passenger seat and you're eating me out
Is it casual now?
Two weeks and your mom invites me to her house on Long Beach
Is it casual now?
I know what you tell your friends
It's casual, if it's casual now
Then baby, make me cum again
If it's casual, it's casual now
Dumb love, I lovе being stupid
Dream of us in a year
Maybе we'd have an apartment
And you'd show me off to your friends at the pier
I know, "Baby, no attachment"
But we're
Knee deep in the passenger seat and you're eating me out
Is it casual now?
Two weeks and your mom invites me to her house on Long Beach
Is it casual now?
I know what you tell your friends
It's casual, if it's casual now
Then baby, make me cum again
If it's casual, it's casual now
Versions[]
| Version | Released on | Release date | Producer | Recorded | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Released "CR_Casual_MC mix_v1" |
Single, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess | October 28, 2022 | Daniel Nigro, Ryan Linvill | Unknown | 3:52 | |
| Demos | ||||||
| Demo | The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (Tidal exclusive) | September 1, 2024 | Unknown | 2020 | 2:24 | |
| Other | ||||||
| Studio Live Version | The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (Tidal exclusive) | September 1, 2024 | Unknown | Unknown | 3:43 | |
Live performances[]
"Casual" was performed throughout 2023 and 2024 as part of the main setlist of both the Naked in North America Tour and The Midwest Princess Tour.
Credits[]
Song[]
- Personnel
- Chappell Roan — vocals, songwriting
- Daniel Nigro — production, background vocals, engineering, guitar, songwriting
- Morgan St. Jean - songwriting
- Ryan Linvill — production, bass, engineering
- Sterling Mitchell Laws — drums
- Michael Coleman — mixing
- Randy Merrill — mastering
- Technical
- Published by Daniel Leonard Nigro Music (ASCAP)
Music Video[]
- Hadley Hillel — Director
- Gia Rigoli — Producer
- Ryan Clemens — Cinematographer
- Marc de Bertier — Production Designer
- Chloe Gingold — Makeup Artist
- Quinn Foster — Movement Director
- Cat Elgarrista — Stylist
- Chappell Roan — Stylist
- Cat Elgarrista — Siren Costumes
- Gianmarco Duin — Fishermen
- Gray Fagan — Fishermen
- Ricardo Ortiz-Barreto — Sailor
- David Kaiser — Popsicle Man & Art Assistant
- Hadley Hillel — Newscaster
- Andres White — Production Manager
- Morgan McClanahan — 1st AD
- Siena Jeakle — Production Assistant
- Jake O’Connor — 1st AC
- Justin Wall — 2nd AC
- Pascal Combes-Knoke — Underwater Camera Operator
- Amber Krieg — Set Decorator
- Eimi Thompson — Scenic Painter
- Nancy Lazaro — Makeup Assistant
- Maddy Benson — Wardrobe Assistant
- Taylor Reick — Key Grip
- Em Shaffer — Gaffer
- Poppy Shaw — Best Boy Grip
- Edgar Machuca — Best Boy Grip
- Tyler Maynard — Best Boy Electric
- Justin Traughber — Swing
- Hayley Stablow — Editor
- Martín De Lima — Composer
- Anna Woźniewicz — Sound Design
- Elliott Powell — Color
- Keyhan Bayegan — Additional Color
- Skiah Garde-Garcia — Post Producer
- Taos Whittaker — VFX
- Leo Pfeifer — Online Editor
- Richard Rogers — Newscast VHS
References[]
- ↑ Spanos, Brittany (October 27, 2022). Chappell Roan Is the Independent 'Thrift Store Pop Star' Ready to Take Over the World (en-US).
- ↑ Exclusive Interview with 'Chappell Roan' (en-US) (2022-06-19).
- ↑ Fromson, Audrey (September 18, 2023). Chappell Roan on Making Pop Music and Giving Back.
- ↑ Kaplan, Ilana (September 27, 2023). Chappell Roan on Her Love of Drag Queens and Her Debut Album That 'Feels Like a Party'.
- ↑ "Casual" Announcement.
- ↑ A Casual Conversation with Chappell Roan.
- ↑ Chappell Roan: “Casual” Track Review.
[]
| The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess | |
|---|---|
| Songs Femininomenon • Red Wine Supernova • After Midnight • Coffee • Casual • Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl • HOT TO GO! • My Kink Is Karma • Picture You • Kaleidoscope • Pink Pony Club • Naked In Manhattan • California • Guilty Pleasure (September 22, 2023 • 49:08 • Amusement Records) Tour The Midwest Princess Tour |