If you’ve spent more than five minutes on TikTok or scrolled through the depths of the Dance Moms subreddit recently, you’ve probably seen the headline. "Chappell Roan is dating Kelly Hyland from Dance Moms, TMZ reports." It usually comes with a blurry screenshot or a grainy photo of the "Pink Pony Club" singer and everyone’s favorite pajama-wearing dance mom.
Honestly? It's hilarious. But it's also completely fake.
The internet is a weird place where memes take on a life of their own, and the Kelly Hyland/Chappell Roan "romance" is a prime example of how Gen Z humor works. One day you’re a reality star from Pennsylvania dealing with Abby Lee Miller’s tantrums, and the next, you’re the lead subject of a viral "crackship" involving the biggest pop star of 2024.
Where did the Kelly Hyland and Chappell Roan meme come from?
Basically, it’s a running gag that started within the Dance Moms fandom. Fans of the show—specifically the ones who follow Christi Lukasiak and Kelly Hyland’s podcast, Back to the Barre—know that Kelly is frequently the target of bizarre internet rumors.
It started with Pete Davidson.
A while back, a meme went viral claiming Kelly was dating Pete Davidson. Then it was Ariana Grande. The joke is essentially that Kelly Hyland is the "new Pete Davidson" of the dating world, somehow getting linked to every major celebrity who enters the cultural zeitgeist. When Chappell Roan blew up following her Coachella performance and the release of "Good Luck, Babe!", she was the next logical choice for the internet’s favorite fictional couple.
The "TMZ reports" part is just a template. No, TMZ did not actually report this. Yes, people still fall for it every single time.
Why the internet chose Kelly Hyland
Kelly has this specific "unbothered" energy that makes these memes work. She’s famously tech-challenged—her daughters, Brooke and Paige, often poke fun at her for not knowing how to use Instagram or for posting "grainy pics."
Because Kelly is so disconnected from the chaotic churn of Gen Z pop culture, the idea of her dating a queer icon like Chappell Roan is peak comedy. Christi Lukasiak has even leaned into it, jokingly referring to Chappell as "Kelly’s girlfriend" in her own social media content. It’s a "if you know, you know" moment for fans who have watched Kelly since 2011.
Breaking down the fake TMZ headlines
Let's look at why these posts go viral so fast.
- The Shock Value: Seeing a 50-something mom from Pittsburgh next to a girl in a glittery leotard and white face paint is jarring.
- The "Confirmation": Most of these posts use a "Confirmed ✅" caption, which is the universal internet signal for "this is definitely a lie."
- The Subreddit Culture: The Dance Moms community on Reddit is huge. When someone posts a "power couple" meme there, it gets thousands of upvotes, which eventually leaks onto Twitter (X) and TikTok.
Some fans have even joked that Chappell Roan looks like a mix of Kelly's daughters, Brooke and Paige, if they wore red wigs. It’s that level of specific, niche humor that keeps the joke alive.
Is there any real connection?
Not really. To our knowledge, Kelly and Chappell have never even met.
However, Kelly has had a rough year health-wise. In 2024, she shared that she was diagnosed with invasive carcinoma, a form of breast cancer. Since then, her community of fans—and her former co-stars—have rallied around her. While the Chappell Roan memes are lighthearted, the real Kelly Hyland has been focused on her treatment and recovery, often sharing updates with her signature blunt honesty.
The memes actually serve a weirdly sweet purpose: they keep Kelly in the conversation in a way that’s funny and positive, rather than just focusing on her health struggles.
What most people get wrong about these rumors
The biggest misconception is that there is some "feud" or that Kelly is upset by the jokes. In reality, the Hyland family usually thinks this stuff is gold. Brooke and Paige Hyland are very online; they see the TikToks. They know their mom has become a bizarre lesbian icon to a certain subset of the internet.
If you see a post saying "Chappell Roan x Kelly confirmed," just know you're looking at a piece of digital performance art. It’s a joke about how we treat celebrity dating news, wrapped in a layer of Dance Moms nostalgia.
What to do if you see the "news" on your feed
Don't bother checking the major tabloids. Instead:
- Check the source: It’s almost always a meme account or a fan page.
- Look for the grain: If the photo looks like it was taken on a Nintendo DSi, it’s probably a fake edit.
- Enjoy the comments: The comments section is where the real gold is, with fans quoting Kelly’s most iconic lines like "I'll slam whatever I want!" in relation to the "relationship."
The next time you hear a rumor that Kelly Hyland is guest-starring on Euphoria or dating the next big thing in pop music, just smile and know that the Dance Moms fandom is just doing what it does best: making things weird.
Next Steps for Fans
If you want the real story on what's happening with Kelly, the best place to go is the Back to the Barre podcast. That’s where she and Christi actually talk about their lives, their health, and occasionally, the ridiculous things the internet says about them. For Chappell Roan updates, her official social media is the only place for legitimate news regarding her tour or personal life.