AUSTIN (KXAN) — Chappell Roan, a queer popstar who skyrocketed to fame last year and performs in drag, is not one to shy away from things society might consider "weird." Perhaps that's why she has an affinity for Austin's Daniel Johnston, whom she referred to as "king of the weird" in a recent interview. AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 13: Chappell Roan performs onstage during weekend two, day three of the 2024 Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park on October 13, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images) Roan recently appeared on an episode of the popular series "Nardwuar Vs.," where she talked with interviewer Nardwuar about Daniel Johnston. Building torn down, ‘Hi, How Are You’ mural stays up Nardwuar, a musician and journalist, is known for his bizarre interviews with celebrities in which he asks deep-cut questions that often lead to discoveries about the interviewee, but also often leave the interviewee asking, "How did you know that?" Regardless of how he knew Roan listened to Daniel Johnston, he asked her, "Who got you into Daniel Johnston?" And she rolled with Nardwuar's punches. Johnston came up at around the eight-minute and 19-second mark in the 44-and-a-half-minute-long video. Roan said a YouTube video about "outsider music" got her into Johnston's music. "During the pandemic, I was like, 'I need to know all the weird sh*t going on," Roan explained. "And Daniel Johnston isn't that weird... like, he's the 'king of the weird,' I feel like, but there's like, deeper, deeper, deeper layers." What’s the origin behind the ‘Keep Austin Weird’ slogan? Roan further explained she went through a period in which she wanted to "dig and find some crazy stuff." Though he died in 2019, Johnston's legacy lives on through the Hi, How Are You Project, a foundation created with support from Johnston and his family that aims to promote conversations around mental well-being. Johnston is beloved by the Austin community and beyond and is known for his avant-garde approach to art and music. AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 16: Daniel Johnston performs during the 2005 South By South West Music Festival March 16, 2005 at The Austin Music Hall in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Jana Birchum/Getty Images) Daniel Johnston, musician and artist behind ‘Hi, How Are You’ mural, has died The project started in 2018 as a way to celebrate Johnston's birthday on Jan. 22. That was the city of Austin's very first "Hi, How Are You Day," which is an annual tradition that raises money to support the project's efforts. This year's Hi How Are You Day 2025 will be on Jan. 24 at the Paramount Theatre. The concert will feature Andrew Bird and Madison Cunningham. Johnston himself struggled with mental health issues, yet he "triumphed over his illness through his prolific output of art and songs," his obituary on the Hi How Are You Project's website reads. Overcoming mental illness for the sake of music and art is something Roan has done in her career, too. In the fall, she revealed she had been diagnosed with severe depression amid her tour, and had previously been open about her struggles with bipolar II disorder, per Billboard. Roan is nominated for six Grammys at the 2025 awards and has recently received several other music industry honors; BBC Radio 1 Sound Of, Billboard Music Awards Top New Artist, and MTV's Best New Artist.