Pop singer Chappell Roan has responded to allegations made by footballer Jorginho Frello regarding an incident in São Paulo that left his 11-year-old stepdaughter distressed.
Roan claimed she was unaware of any confrontation between her team and Jorginho’s daughter, and she did not instruct security to intervene.
The controversy stems from claims by the former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder, now playing for Flamengo, who accused Roan’s security team of acting aggressively toward his family during a chance encounter at a hotel where the singer was staying for Lollapalooza Brasil.
In a post on Instagram, Jorginho described the episode as “very upsetting,” alleging that a “large security guard” approached his wife and stepdaughter while they were having breakfast and accused them of “disrespect” and “harassment,” leaving the child “in tears.”
“She simply walked past the singer's table, looked to confirm it was her, smiled, and went back to sit with her mum. She didn't say anything, didn't ask for anything,” he wrote.
Roan, 28, addressed the accusations in a series of Instagram Stories, distancing herself from the incident, adding she had no knowledge of the interaction at the time.
“I did not ask the security guard to go up to this mother and child. They didn't come up to me. They weren't doing anything. It's unfair for security to just assume someone doesn't have good intentions, when they don't have reason to believe, because there's no action even taken,” she said.
The singer added that she “didn't even see a woman and a child” and reiterated that no one approached or disturbed her during the breakfast.
“I do not hate people who are fans of my music. I do not hate children. Like, that is crazy,” she said, before offering an apology: “I am sorry to the mother and child that someone was assuming something, that you would do something and that if you felt uncomfortable, that makes me really sad. You did not deserve that.”
The situation escalated further when Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Cavaliere announced on social media that the singer would not be welcome to perform in the city under his administration.
Jorginho’s wife, Catherine Harding, also responded in a video statement, disputing Roan’s assertion that the guard was not linked to her team. “This is the last thing I am going to say about this now, because its getting a bit crazy,” Harding said, adding: “You have a responsibility as a celebrity”.