Chappell Roan unveils “The Subway”, a long-awaited single with NYC-set visuals and fall performances.
Chappell Roan has debuted the official studio version of “The Subway”, available now via Amusement, Island Records, and Universal Music Canada. The song, which fans first heard during live sets last summer, quickly became one of the most requested unreleased tracks in Roan’s repertoire.
Co-written and produced by Daniel Nigro, “The Subway” delves into the emotional residue of love lost and the persistent reminders that follow. A deeply lyrical and theatrical ballad, Roan delivers a poignant performance filled with grief and resilience. As she sings, “I made a promise, if in four months this feeling ain’t gone, well f*ck this city, I’m moving to Saskatchewan!”
Hints of the release appeared in New York last week, with fans noticing murals and posters, while a video of a moving truck in Saskatchewan sparked buzz online. 
To coincide with the release, Roan issued a limited run 7” copper metallic vinyl including “The Subway” and the unreleased demo “I Hate It Here”. The physical edition sold out shortly after becoming available.
The single is accompanied by Roan’s most ambitious video to date, directed by Amber Grace Johnson. Filmed on 35mm across Manhattan, the video showcases Roan’s dramatic style against a cityscape of emotional triggers, from subway rides to alleyways, garbage piles to nostalgic memories.
Roan said, “The cliche of ‘the girl that got away’ barely scratches the surface for me with this song. I wrote it as I was stumbling around New York with a broken heart and I kept envisioning us on every street, fire escape, coffee shop, park and yes… the subway.”
Roan’s newly announced fall shows will bring her to multiple cities, including New York, Kansas City, and Pasadena, with $1 from each ticket supporting trans youth initiatives.
