Ali Scharf is the makeup maestro behind Chappell Roan’s signature ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ look and 5 Seconds of Summer’s punky boyband rebrand. Working with pop powerhouses and indie artists alike, Artists Aside had the chance to chat with the MUA shaping the personas of some of the biggest names in music.

Makeup has been integral to storytelling throughout music history. Think David Bowie’s glam rock alter ego Ziggy Stardust, ’70s icons KISS with their face-painted personas, or Lady Gaga’s elaborate edgy aesthetics. After opening shows for Olivia Rodrigo and her meteoric rise to fame with viral hits ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ and ‘Pink Pony Club’, the world was introduced to a new pop persona: Chappell Roan. With heavy influence from the LGBTQ+ community and her midwestern background, Kayleigh Rose Amstuzt is bringing a drag-inspired character to the stage.

“I worked with Chappell for the Grammy after party, and that look ended up being the ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ single cover with the pig nose,” Ali says on call from Los Angeles.

The self-taught MUA has worked with Roan since late 2023, when her best friend from school Sophia Eras, now Chappell’s tour manager, introduced the two. It was on an NME photoshoot that Scharf first collaborated with the Grammy-winning artist: a dramatic look that featured bold blue eyeshadow, a vivid red lip and hot pink blush.

After continuing the year creating more looks for Roan, Scharf was asked to tour with the singer in what would become “a crazy year but really, really fun”.

“Chappell’s team is amazing, truly like my family. 2024 was a very unprecedented time. I don’t think anyone was prepared for how big she was getting as we were touring, and in the moment we were shocked,” the LA native says.

“We were showing up to festivals and there were record-breaking crowds, it definitely felt insane. On tour, when there’s such good people around, it all ends up being okay, even if it does feel really overbearing and chaotic in the moment.”

One of these record-breaking shows included that summer’s Lollapalooza Festival, where Roan played her biggest show at the time to a crowd of over 110,000. She sported a pink and blue wrestler’s outfit, and it was one of Scharf’s favourite looks to do.

“I did a silver and graphic black eyeliner look. It was so different from what we usually did, and I think it read well on stage. It was a very special show.”

When working with a theatrical persona like Roan, the aesthetics of a performance play as important a role as the music itself. “For headline shows, I would have a big folder on my phone with the themes of the songs,” Scharf says.

“I would go through it day by day right before we started the glam and pull out certain things we liked, such as colours and shapes, and then make it our own.”

When designing a look, Scharf admits that while it’s a collaborative endeavour, Chappell knows exactly how she wants her character portrayed visually.

“There have been so many artists in history that’ve made makeup such a massive part of their visual identity, like David Bowie and Lady Gaga. I think Chappell has reinstated that makeup can play a huge role in music.”

Visually, Bowie is one of Scharf’s biggest inspirations. She was given a book of his iconic makeup looks by her dad, which she still draws insights from. “I think Bowie did them mostly by himself. It was just so impressive and innovative, so ahead of his time.”

Learning makeup and gaining experience through YouTube and TikTok, Scharf knew she’d found her passion. “I’ve always been a makeup girl. I started wearing makeup when I was probably nine to school and my mom was not happy about it!”

After initially attending New York University for music business and quitting her first job in PR, she began reaching out to artists, photographers and stylists for a potential collaboration, and even initially doing work for free.

But it wasn’t just her technical skills that progressed Scharf’s career. “I think it’s taken me even this long in my career to realise sometimes I do still have imposter syndrome. You have to zoom out and realise that being kind and a nice presence to be around on a set is the most valuable thing that takes you so far. When you’re this close with someone, it’s an exchange of energy, so it’s really important.”

To Scharf, it’s growing up as a fangirl and the passion to work with bands she loved that fuelled her pathway into makeup for musicians. “I was very lucky that I started with this network, but to build that you have to go to shows, talk to people and connect with people you have things in common with.”

For their most recent album ‘Everyone’s A Star!’ Scharf collaborated with Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS), creating looks for the album cover and title track’s music video.

“They had the inspo for a punky, lived-in grungy look with boys wearing makeup. It’s 2026, we see it often, but I think for straight men playing rock music you don’t see that. The eyeliner was one thing, but they were open to everything: smoky eyes, glitter, shimmer. I was just so excited because it felt like a rare opportunity.”

While not every artist Scharf works with has a persona as maximal as Roan’s, their individual musical identities are what inspires her in her career.

“It ebbs and flows depending on the artist I work with. That’s why I like working in music. I work with a lot of artists and it feels so creative, and not just because it’s always a statement look, because it’s not always a statement look,” Sharf says.

“Sometimes someone is really subdued and there’s very subtle nuances to their makeup, and I love the process of that, where you really do a deep dive into who an artist is and what their visual identity is and what they want to convey.”

The public reaction to Scharf’s work, especially her creations with Chappell Roan, have led to many fans thanking her for ‘bringing back fun makeup.’

“I could cry,” she says sincerely. “I don’t think I’ve processed it. Chappell was the first artist I worked with that had such a global reach, and her makeup is obviously such a huge part of her visually.

“In my mind I’m so focused and tunnel visioned into making sure she’s happy and my immediate world, that you can forget the impact and the reach. I still see people recreating looks and it’s so life changing. It genuinely means so much to me.”

So, what’s the next step for Ali Scharf?

“It’s good to have goals, but I will attract what’s meant for me. I’m not gonna fuck with the trajectory of the universe,” she says.

Currently, Scharf is working with 20-year-old pop singer Bella Kaye, who’s song ‘iloveitiloveitiloveit’ is reaching audiences on TikTok. “I love to grow with an artist. I think she has a huge career ahead of her and I’m really excited.”

Ali Scharf is your favourite artist’s favourite makeup artist, and that won’t be changing anytime soon. OA

Featured image via Ali Scharf