Chappell Roan has unveiled the long-awaited studio version of “The Subway,” a track that first lit up the crowd during her set at Governors Ball 2024. Produced by longtime collaborator Daniel Nigro, the single is both a love letter and a fever dream of New York City, pairing Roan’s soaring vocals with her signature blend of theatrical pop flair and emotional rawness.
The accompanying video, directed by Amber Grace Johnson, turns the city itself into a character—Roan drifts through fantastical, neon-lit subway cars and surreal cityscapes, embodying the magic, chaos, and heartbreak that New York offers to anyone willing to surrender to its rhythm.
Roan explained that the song “encompasses everything I love about New York City, with the hope, heartbreak and healing that it has to offer us all.” And she delivers on that promise. “The Subway” is both escapist and grounded, balancing glossy production with a lyricism that feels lived-in. It’s the sound of late nights giving way to uncertain dawns, of dreams colliding with reality in the underground tunnels of the city that never sleeps.
This marks Roan’s third single since her 2023 debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess—a record that first solidified her as one of pop’s boldest new voices. Following the viral success of “Good Luck, Babe!” and the genre-bending country anthem “The Giver,” Roan has only gained momentum, winning Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammy Awards and captivating new audiences after her stint opening for Olivia Rodrigo.
“The Subway” isn’t just another single; it feels like a cultural checkpoint in Roan’s meteoric rise, capturing the moment she graduates from breakout star to pop visionary.