Pop singer Chappell Roan has issued an apology and denied any involvement in a confrontation at a São Paulo hotel, after Brazilian footballer Jorginho Frello accused her of sending a security guard to reprimand his 11-year-old stepdaughter for alleged harassment. The incident unfolded ahead of the singer’s scheduled performance at Lollapalooza Brasil, drawing intense attention across social media. 

In a series of Instagram Stories posted on Saturday, Jorginho said his daughter was left “in tears” after a security guard confronted her and his wife, singer Catherine Harding, during breakfast at their hotel. He claimed the guard accused the child, believed to be Ada Law, Harding’s daughter with actor Jude Law, of “harassing” Chappell Roan, despite the girl not approaching the musician.

Roan later issued a statement of her own, saying she did not witness the interaction and did not instruct anyone to intervene.

Jorginho alleges aggressive confrontation at hotel

In his lengthy account, the former Arsenal midfielder said his daughter had been excited to see an artist she “really admires” and had made a sign ahead of Roan’s festival appearance. He wrote that the family happened to be staying at the same hotel as the pop star and that the child merely passed Roan’s table, smiled and returned quietly to her mother.

“And the worst part is she didn't even approach her,” he wrote. “She simply walked past the singer's table, looked to confirm it was her, smiled, and went back to sit with her mum.”

Jorginho claimed that moments later, “a large security guard” confronted his wife and daughter, allegedly speaking “in an extremely aggressive manner” and accusing the girl of disrespect and harassment. He said the guard even threatened to file a complaint with the hotel.

“My daughter was extremely shaken and cried a lot,” he added, criticising what he described as disrespectful treatment of a young fan.

He concluded his statement by tagging Roan’s account and writing in capital letters: “WITHOUT YOUR FANS, YOU WOULD BE NOTHING. AND TO THE FANS, SHE DOES NOT DESERVE YOUR AFFECTION.”

Harding later reshared her husband’s posts, including a photograph of her daughter’s handmade sign referencing Roan’s hit “HOT TO GO!”

Chappell Roan denies involvement, apologises to family

Hours later, Roan responded on Instagram, saying she was unaware of the interaction and did not request any action from hotel security or personal staff.

She wrote: "I'm just gonna tell my half of the story of what happened today with a mother and child who were involved with a security guard who is not my personal security. I didn't even see a woman and a child. No one came up to me. No one bothered me. I was just sitting at breakfast in my hotel.”

Roan clarified that she had no interaction with the family and did not ask anyone to intervene: “I did not ask the security guard to go up and talk to this mother and child. They did not come to me. They weren't doing anything. It’s unfair for security to just assume someone doesn't have good intentions…”

She added: “I do not hate people who are fans of my music. I do not hate children. I'm sorry to the mother and child that someone was assuming something and that if you felt uncomfortable, that makes me really sad. You did not deserve that.”

Recent scrutiny over boundaries with fans

The controversy follows weeks of heightened attention on Roan’s interactions with the public. Earlier this month, she criticised photographers and admirers in Paris for what she described as “harassing” behaviour outside a restaurant. The singer has frequently spoken about maintaining personal boundaries amid growing fame.

Jorginho, citing his experience in football and in the public eye, suggested the situation in São Paulo should prompt reflection on how fans, especially children, are treated. “At the end of the day, they are the ones who build all of this,” he wrote.