Professional soccer player Jorginho claimed Chappell Roan sent a security guard to yell at his 11-year-old step-daughter.
Key Points
Roan denied this, claiming she "didn't even see a woman and a child."
The mayor of Rio de Janeiro chimed in to ban Roan from the Todo Mundo no Rio music festival.
Few pop stars spark as much debate asChappell Roan. Known for her irresistible hooks, statement-making sartorial choices, and no-filter attitude, the "Pink Pony Club" singer has carved out a reputation as one of the most polarizing figures in today's music scene.
The Grammy-winning artist previously courted controversy after highly-publicized clashes withfansandphotographers, and now she's making headlines for an incident at a Brazil hotel involving Jude Law's 11-year-old daughter. Reactions from critics and fans have ranged from sheer outrage to full-throated defense.
Read on as we unpack what exactly went down and how Roan has responded to this latest whirlwind of attention.
What's the latest Chappell Roan controversy?
On March 21, professional soccer star Jorginho took to social media to share what he described as a "very upsetting situation" involving his family. According to him, the alleged incident unfolded at a hotel in São Paulo, where his 11-year-old step-daughter Ada was staying with her mom, Catherine Harding (who shares Ada with actorJude Law), to attend Lollapalooza Brazil.
Jorginho said his daughter had been "incredibly excited" to see an artist she loved — referring to Roan — and even made a sign for her. By chance, they ended up staying at the same hotel. During breakfast, Ada spotted the singer.
The pro athlete stressed that the alleged interaction was minimal. "My daughter, like any child, recognized her, got excited, and just wanted to make sure it was really her," he shared, adding that she "didn't even approach" Roan. "She simply walked past the singer's table, looked to confirm it was her, smiled, and went back to sit with her mum. She didn't say anything, didn't ask for anything."
What happened next is where things escalated. Jorginho alleged that a security guard approached their table and spoke "in an extremely aggressive manner," accusing his daughter of "disrespect" and harassment.
"Honestly, I don't know at what point simply walking past a table and looking to see if someone is there can be considered harassment," he continued, claiming the guard even threatened to file a complaint with the hotel while his daughter was left "extremely shaken" and in tears.
He wrapped up by calling out the situation "sad" and arguing that his daughter hadn't crossed any boundaries. "I've lived with football, public exposure, and well-known people for many years, and I understand very well what respect and boundaries are," he said. "What happened there was not that. It was just a child admiring someone."
He ended his post with a pointed message, tagging Roan's Instagram account and writing in all-caps, "WITHOUT YOUR FANS, YOU WOULD BE NOTHING. AND TO THE FANS, SHE DOES NOT DESERVE YOUR AFFECTION."
How has Chappell Roan responded to the backlash?
Following social media criticism of Roan over the incident, the "Hot to Go!" singer gave a shoutout to her security team during her Saturday night set at Lollapalooza Brazil. Given the timing, this didn't go unnoticed.
"I'm so grateful, so thank you, and thank you to my crew and my security and my band, and everyone behind the scenes," she said in aclip posted online. "This takes a lot of people, so thank you."
The next day, Roan addressed the controversy more directly on her Instagram Story. "I'm just going to tell my half of the story of what happened today with a mother and child who were involved with a security guard, who is not my personal security," she explained.
"I didn't even see a woman and a child. Like, I did not. No one came up to me, no one bothered me," the singer insisted. "I did not ask the security guard to go up and talk to this mother and child. I did not. They did not come up to me — they weren't doing anything!"
In a follow-up post, she added, "I do not hate people who are fans of my music. I do not hate children — that is crazy. I'm sorry to the mother and child that someone was assuming that you would do something, and if you felt uncomfortable, that makes me really sad. You did not deserve that."
Representatives for Roan did not respond toEntertainment Weekly's request for comment.
What has Jude Law's ex said about the situation?
Though Roan denied any connection to the actions of the security guard in question, Ada's mother, Catherine Harding, remains unconvinced.
In anInstagram videoshared on Sunday, March 22, Harding reiterated that her daughter never approached Roan. She just walked past her table at breakfast to see if it was really her.
But according to Harding, that didn't stop an "intimidating" security guard from confronting them in an "aggressive tone" to "berate and scold" them.
Harding then asserted that, regardless of who actually sent the guard, Roan still can't completely wash her hands of what happened.
"I know that Chappell has responded saying that it wasn't her security and she didn't do it," Harding said. "One hundred percent this security guard was not a security guard of the hotel, that's what I can say. He looks after artists. So I don't know if it was her personal security guard, but he was with her. That is all I know."
Harding added that whether or not Roan sent him, celebrities have a responsibility "to make sure that the people who work for you and act on your behalf are acting on your behalf. So would he do that if he didn't have her authority to do so? I don't know."
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She also said the whole encounter "really overstepped a boundary," and that what was meant to be a birthday trip to São Paulo for her daughter ended up "ruined." They even skipped Roan's Lollapalooza performance because of it.
"I hope that she did not know and I hope that she did not send her security over to do this," Harding concluded. "I really think that she's a very, very talented artist… I hope that if it wasn't her then she learns not to allow the people that work for her to not treat people like this."
Why is the Mayor of Rio getting involved?
The situation got messier when Eduardo Cavaliere, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, chimed in. After Jorginho's Instagram post went viral, Cavalieretook to Xand announced that Roan will never set foot on the stage at Todo Mundo no Rio, one of the city's biggest music festivals.
"I mean that as long as I'm in charge of our city — this young lady @ChappellRoan will never perform at Todo Mundo no Rio!" he wrote, per an English translation on X. "I doubt that Shakira @shakira @Shakira_Brasil would do that! By the way, @FrelloJorginho your little one is already the guest of honor from the organization in May!"
Jorginho replied with two red heart emojis.
For those unaware, Todo Mundo no Rio ("Everyone in Rio") is no small gig — it's a series of massive, free concerts on Copacabana Beach. Past editions have seen legends like Madonna and Lady Gaga take the stage. This year, Shakira is set to headline the event.
How has Roan stirred controversy in the past?
Roan has been a lightning rod for controversy due to her outspoken nature and openness about her own boundaries.
In August 2024, she was criticized aftercalling out certain fans for being "creepy."On Instagram, she went off about the uncomfortable attention she's received over the years.
"For the past 10 years I've been going nonstop to build my project, and it's come to the point that I need to draw lines and set boundaries," she wrote. "I want to be an artist for a very, very long time. I've been in too many nonconsensual physical and social interactions, and I just need to lay it out and remind you, women don't owe you s--t," she wrote. " I do not accept harassment of any kind because I chose this path, nor do I deserve it."
She made it clear that she's on the clock only when she's performing, doing press, or in drag — outside of that, she isn't obligated to anyone's admiration or attention.
"I am clocked out. I don't agree with the notion that I owe a mutual exchange of energy, time, or attention to people I do not know, do not trust, or who creep me out — just because they're expressing admiration."
Her boldness hasn't been limited to social media. At the 2024 Video Music Awards in September 2024, she yelled at a photographer who shouted "shut the f--k up" near her, replying, "You shut the f--k up." Later, she was seen pointing at someone else and warning, "Don't. Not me, b---h."
A month later, at the premiere of Netflix'sOlivia Rodrigo: Guts World Tourconcert film, she confronted a photographer she claimed was rude to her at the Grammys earlier that year.
"You were so disrespectful to me at the Grammys," Roan said after approaching the photographer infootage EW captured of the altercation. "You yelled at me at the Grammy party. At the Universal after-party. I remember. You were so rude to me. I deserve an apology for that. Yeah. Yep, you do. No, no, no. You need to apologize."
Fans were split. Some praised Roan for standing her ground, while others wondered if demanding an apology was more spectacle than substance.
Roan has also found herself in hot water over her political statements. She previouslytold theGuardianthat she didn't"feel pressured to endorse someone"in the 2024 presidential race, noting that "there's problems on both sides."
As expected, the internet went wild. Before long, she was being accused of "both sides-ism" just weeks before the U.S. presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.
Roantold BBCin January 2025 that despite being labeled a "spoiled diva," she's unapologetic and will always stand up for herself — though she joked she might "be more successful if I was okay wearing a muzzle."
By June, she admitted toInterview Magazinethat she does "give a f---" about the backlash she gets. "I didn't realize I'd care so much," she shared. "But when it comes to me and my personality, it's like, 'Damn. Am I the most insufferable bitch of our generation?'"
She continued, "It makes me cry. I don't know if it will ever feel okay to hear someone say something really hateful about me."
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