Chappell Roan has fired back at one music executive who criticised her acceptance speech at the Grammys over the weekend.
On Sunday night, the Pink Pony Club singer was awarded the Best New Artist prize at the Grammys, taking the opportunity to appeal for industry-wide changes to help musicians in the early stages of their careers.
Reflecting on her own experiences as a struggling artist, Chappell said: “I told myself if I ever won a Grammy and I got to stand up here, in front of the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels and the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a liveable wage and healthcare, especially to developing artists.”
As the audience applauded and many of her peers looked on in agreement, she continued: “I got signed so young, as a minor, and when I got dropped I had zero job experience under my belt.
“Like most people, I had a difficult time finding a job in the pandemic, and could not afford health insurance. It was so devastating to feel so committed to my art, and feel so betrayed by the system, and so dehumanised to not have healthcare.
“And if my label would have prioritised artists’ health, I could have been provided care by a company I was giving everything to. So, record labels need to treat their artists as valuable employees with a liveable wage and health insurance, and protection.”
“Labels,” she concluded. “we got you. But do you got us?”
Music exec Jeffrey Rabhan subsequently wrote an opinion piece in The Hollywood Reporter, calling Chappell “far too green and uninformed to be the agent of change she aspires to be today”.
“Roan’s call for record labels to pay artists a livable wage and provide health care was noble – but also wildly misinformed,” he wrote.
“Her rise to stardom, fueled by viral moments, major label backing and an industry desperate for the next alternative pop starlet, proves she’s no longer a struggling artist. She should do something about it – rather than just talk at it. Change is waiting to be championed, not just announced.”
By way of response, Chappell shared a screengrab of Jeffrey’s article on her Instagram story on Friday morning, challenging him to match her in donating $25,000 (around £20K) to help “struggling dropped artists”.
“[I] will keep everyone updated on the much-awaited [Jeffrey Rabhan] response!!” she added. “And I will show receipts of the donations.”
Addressing the exec directly, the Grammy winner said: “I love how in the article you said ‘put your money where your mouth is’. Genius!!! Let’s link and build together and see if you can do the same.”
Chappell the went on to shout out artists she thinks deserve a bigger platform including Hemlocke Springs, Sarah Kinsley, Devon Again and Baby Storme.
Throughout her time in the spotlight, Chappell has become known for speaking out on causes close to heart – including the treatment of artists by both the media and fans.
