Chappell Roan, here in March 2026, in Paris.
Has Jorginho spoken too soon? To this question, the answer is clear: yes. On Monday, April 13th, the Italian footballer spoke on social media to put an end to the controversy – which he himself had started about Chappell Roan a month ago – “now that new information has been revealed.”
He explains: “I made my first statement in the heat of the moment, after learning that a security agent had approached my wife and child in an intimidating manner. I reacted as any father would. My priority is, and always will be, to protect my family, and that’s exactly what I did.”
In March, the footballer playing in the Brazilian league had directly accused the pop star on Instagram, alleging that a member of his team had threatened his daughter, who had approached the singer while having breakfast near the table shared with her mother in a hotel, in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
“He even said he would sue them, while my 11-year-old daughter was in tears,” lamented the Flamengo footballer. The controversy escalated rapidly. “As long as I am in charge of (the city of Rio de Janeiro), Chappell Roan will never perform at Todo Mundo no Rio (a must-visit spot on Copacabana beach),” exclaimed the mayor.
Chappell Roan defends herself
Without delay, the American spoke up. “No one came to see me, no one bothered me,” she calmly stated in a video. Chappell Roan insisted: “I did not ask the security agent to go talk to that mother and child.” He was not part of her personal security, she assures.
Since then, Jorginho claims to have “become aware of new elements,” which have changed his perception of the events. Among them, the statement of the singer, but not only. She also reached out to the footballer’s wife, and their respective teams have reportedly communicated, he indicated on Monday.
“It became clear that she was unaware of what happened at breakfast and had not asked anyone to approach them. She showed understanding and compassion towards what happened to our child,” continued Jorge Luiz Frello Filho, his real name. The man in question worked for another artist.
Instagram @jorginhofrello
Jorginho apologizes.
According to him, “it was ultimately a misunderstanding in this regard.” “And I am happy to set the record straight,” he concluded. “It is important to me that things are clarified fairly and accurately. I regret the impact this situation had on Chappell Roan, Catherine (his wife), Ada (his daughter), and our family.”
Chappell Roan and the fans
End of the story? For now, at least. Target of many criticisms, the singer of “Pink Pony Club” is not a child-eating wicked witch, but is often accused of misbehaving with her fans in public, where she has simply explained in the past that she wanted to set boundaries for her own well-being.
“When I’m on stage, in drag, at a professional event, when I speak to the press…I’m at work. The rest of the time, I’m not in work mode. I am ‘off’,” she emphasized on Instagram back in August 2024. The intrusive or aggressive behaviors of some were the issue.
Not an isolated case (as evidenced by the long list of artists who have supported her, such as Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, or Elton John), Chappell Roan’s example mainly highlights the terrifying idea that a star must be devoted to her fans, and “the increasingly toxic nature of fanaticism towards celebrities themselves,” as Vox notes.
While the impression of accessibility has undoubtedly increased with the importance of social networks, the magazine speaks of an injunction among stars to accept, unflinchingly, public solicitations, desired or not. Before his mea culpa, Jorginho’s words illustrated this well. “Without your fans, you would be nothing,” he said to Chappell Roan.
