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Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl

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"Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl"
Promotional single by Chappell Roan
from the album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
ReleasedSeptember 22, 2023
StudioAmusement (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length3:03
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Dan Nigro
  • Mike Wise
Visualizer
“Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” on YouTube

“Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” is a song by American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. It was released by Amusement and Island Records on September 22, 2023, as the only promotional single from Roan's debut studio album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023).

Produced by Dan Nigro and Mike Wise, the song is a 1980s-styled pop, hi-NRG, dance, electro, electropop, electroclash, house, and club tune. Roan's narration describes her dislike for dating "hyper-mega-bummer boys" and want for a "super graphic ultra modern girl" like her.

"Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl" did not immediately chart after its release. It debuted at number 24 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart dated for August 17, 2024. It was certified Gold in the US and Australia. The song received critical acclaim for its upbeat nature and lyricism, and many comparisons to pop culture were also made.

Background and release

[edit]

Kayleigh Amstutz, performing under the stage name Chappell Roan, signed to Atlantic Records in 2015.[1][2][3][4] While under the label, she released her debut EP, School Nights (2017), and three singles in 2020: "Pink Pony Club", "Love Me Anyway", and "California".[1][2][5] She was dropped by Atlantic in 2020 following the release of the singles and moved back to her home state of Missouri following this.[1][2][4]

While still signed with Atlantic, Roan worked with producer Dan Nigro, who would become known for his work with Olivia Rodrigo.[1][2][4] She would return to music in 2022 with the independently-released song "Naked in Manhattan".[4] Roan signed to Island Records and Amusement Records, the latter of which Nigro started to fund Roan’s projects.[1][6] Her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, was released by the labels on September 22, 2023. "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl" is the sixth track and only promotional single.[1][6][7][8][9]

Composition and lyrics

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"Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl" has a run time of three minutes and three seconds.[10] Musically, it has been described as a pop,[11][12] hi-NRG,[13] dance,[14] electro,[15] electropop,[16] electroclash,[17] house,[17][18] and club[19] track that takes influence from 1980s music.[13] It is written in the key of C♯ major[20] and has a "stomping"[12] tempo of 126 beats per minute.[20]

"Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl" focuses on Roan's dislike for dating men.[12][18] She has stated that the title of the song was inspired by an Architecture Digest video in which the narrator says a house's architecture is "super graphic and ultra-modern".[21] The lyrics call men "hyper-mega-bummer boys"[12][18] and condemn them for wearing "fugly jeans".[18] The opening verse has been described as a "main-character monologue".[18] The lyrics also state that Roan is "not overdramatic", and states she needs a "super graphic ultra modern girl like [her]."[12]

Roan wrote the track with Dan Nigro, Annika Bennett, Jonah Shy, and Mike Wise.[22][9] In an interview with Rolling Stone, Roan expressed her admiration for Charli XCX and that she wanted to work with Mike Wise. At the time, Wise was known for producing the song "Yuck," off of Charli XCX’s fifth studio album, Crash (2022). In the same interview, she also wanted to make a song that "drag queens can do fully."[21]

Dan Nigro handled keyboards, engineering, drum programming, synthesizers, guitar, and produced the track with Mike Wise and assistant producer Jonah Shy. Serban Ghenea mixed the track with assistance from Bryce Bordone, and Randy Merrill mastered it. Recording took place at Amusement Studios.[22][9]

Reception

[edit]

Despite being released concurrently with The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl" did not chart until almost a year after its release. The song debuted at number 24 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart for August 17, 2024 and peaked at number 16.[23]

"Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl" was generally met with positive reviews. Illustrate Magazine called the track a "breath of fresh air in the music world".[24] Vogue stated that it was a "banger that's made for strutting to work."[15] AllMusic declared that the 80s throwback had one of the best choruses throughout the entire album.[25] DIY’s Otis Robinson says that a track like "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl" blends "teen melodrama with queer euphoria."[26] Sam Franzini praised Roan’s lyricism throughout the track,[12] and Olivia Horn called the opening verse a "main-character monologue."[18] Stephen Daw of Billboard stated that the song was fueled by "pop adrenaline."[11]

Many comparisons were made between the song and other pop culture icons. Confidence Man, Madonna's Ray of Light (1998),[18][27] Barbie (2023),[12] Footloose (1984),[13] RuPaul's "Supermodel" (1992), and Scissor Sisters' "Let's Have a Kiki" (2012)[28] were among these comparisons. Multiple reviews noticed the influences from Lady Gaga, especially her album Chromatica (2020).[13][28][27]

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess and Tidal.[22][9][29]

  • Dan Nigro – producer, songwriter, background vocals, keyboards, engineer, drum programming, synthesizers, guitar
  • Kayleigh Rose Amstutz – vocals, background vocals, songwriter
  • Annika Bennett – songwriter
  • Jonah Shy – songwriter, additional producer, recording, engineer
  • Mike Wise – songwriter, producer, keyboards, recording, engineer
  • Randy Merrill – mastering
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing
  • Bryce Bordone – mixing assistance, engineer

Chart

[edit]
Chart performance for "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard)[30] 16

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[31] Gold 35,000‡
United States (RIAA)[32] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f "Meet Chappell Roan, L.A.'s queer pop superstar in the making". Los Angeles Times. August 29, 2023. Archived from the original on March 18, 2025. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Romano, Tricia; Kasinger, Chona (July 24, 2024). "Chappell Roan Booked a Tour. Then She Blew Up". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  3. ^ Zellner, Xander (April 16, 2024). "Hot 100 First-Timer: Chappell Roan Arrives With New Single 'Good Luck, Babe!'". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d Daw, Stephen (December 20, 2022). "Chappell Roan's Big Year: How the DIY Indie-Pop Star 'Casual'-ly Thrived in Her Post-Label Era". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  5. ^ Dodson, P. Claire (March 9, 2023). "Underneath Chappell Roan's Hannah Montana Wig? A Pop Star for the Ages". Teen Vogue. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  6. ^ a b Havens, Lyndsey (June 9, 2023). "Inside Daniel Nigro's New Imprint Amusement Records". Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  7. ^ "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl (Dave Audé Remix) – Dave Audé Remixes". Dave Audé. Archived from the original on January 4, 2025. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  8. ^ "Euro Solution". Music House. December 6, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d "Album Credits". Chappell Roan. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  10. ^ Spotify (September 22, 2023), Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl, retrieved March 22, 2025
  11. ^ a b Daw, Stephen (September 22, 2023). "Queer Jams of the Week: New Music from Troye Sivan, 070 Shake, Chappell Roan & More". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g "Chappell Roan: The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess - big pop smashes lead the way | Pop". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  13. ^ a b c d "Chappell Roan review – a super graphic ultra modern showbiz star". the Guardian. September 21, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  14. ^ "Chappell Roan: "I had to honour the inner child in me who had to be obnoxious and loud and wear gaudy outfits" - Dork". readdork.com. December 21, 2023. Archived from the original on January 26, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  15. ^ a b Hess, Liam (October 23, 2023). "The Best Albums of 2023". Vogue. Archived from the original on December 29, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  16. ^ "10 Cool Pop Songs to Get You Through the Week: Chappell Roan, Bleachers, Kylie Minogue & More". Billboard. September 25, 2023. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  17. ^ a b Zaleski, Annie (June 29, 2024). "Why Chappell Roan is your dream girl's dream girl – and 2024's breakout artist". Salon. Retrieved January 25, 2025. …brash electroclash and house music ('Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl')...
  18. ^ a b c d e f g Horn, Olivia (September 27, 2023). "Chappell Roan: The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  19. ^ "The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess". Apple Music. September 22, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ a b "Key & BPM for Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl by Chappell Roan | TuneBat". TuneBat. Retrieved April 24, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ a b Mier, Tomás (September 21, 2023). "How Chappell Roan Found 'Complete Freedom and Euphoria' Making Her Debut Album". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 18, 2025. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
  22. ^ a b c Island Records (2023). The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (Media notes). Chappell Roan.
  23. ^ "Bubbling Under Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 17, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  24. ^ Finch, Gabe (September 28, 2023). "Chappell Roan Unveils "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl" Track, a Captivating Musical Journey". Illustrate Magazine. Archived from the original on October 9, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  25. ^ "The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess - Chap... | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 20, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  26. ^ Robinson, Otis (September 22, 2023). "Chappell Roan - The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess". DIY. Archived from the original on November 16, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  27. ^ a b Mylrea, Hannah (September 21, 2023). "Chappell Roan – 'The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess' review: unabashedly fun anthems". NME. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  28. ^ a b Suskind, Justin; Curto, Alex (December 6, 2023). "The Best Songs of 2023". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  29. ^ Chappell Roan - The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, September 22, 2023, retrieved March 21, 2025
  30. ^ "Chappell Roan Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
  31. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2025 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  32. ^ "American single certifications – Chappell Roan – Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
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