Chappell Roan's VMAs Makeup Was Inspired By "The Drama of Heartbreak" — Exclusive

ICYMI: we’re all living in the Chappell Roan era. The “HOT TO GO!” singer just won the MTV VMA award for Best New Artist and put on a killer performance of her hit single “Good Luck, Babe,” where she shot a flaming arrow out of a crossbow to set off a round of sparks in front of a medieval castle. It can’t get more iconic than that. But in true Chappell fashion, the other highlight of her Renaissance-themed performance was her iconic eye makeup. According to her makeup artist, Andrew Dahling, her technicolor eye-makeup wasn’t just chosen at random — instead, it was meant to evoke the feeling of a medieval heartbreak.

“The world the makeup lived in was very romantic and baroque, so I wanted it to feel and look like an oil painting of sorts,” Dahling tells NYLON exclusively. “The tones in the eye were very much pulled from Renaissance regality. Maroon, cobalt, and glittering gold were all chosen as a nod to a crown or royal flag of those times! It was a dramatic moment, so the depth and emotion in this makeup were very important — so the makeup could help tell a part of the story.”

Dahling said the makeup design was meant to appear “dramatic, heavy, a bit distressed and undone,” while still delivering that signature Roan wow-factor. The final look was tragic, yet beautiful aura — the perfect complement to the song’s angst-ridden lyrics. To convey the feeling of a glamorous heartbreak, Dahling used several MAC Dazzleshadows, the paint sticks in various colors, and a mix of MACximal matte lipstick in Velvet Teddy and Sin for her mauve lip moment.

“These products were placed in a very intentional way to create the impact that was needed,” said Dahling. “It was all about the depth and drama of the eyes — that’s what was really going to get the emotion across. I wanted the makeup to be a part of the melodrama of this moment!”

In the end, the pop star wowed the crowd with her dazzling performance and vocal skills, while serving up a beauty look that perfectly conveyed “the drama of heartbreak” — and one we have a feeling will be all over everyone’s FYPs soon.