Chappell Roan Responds to Backlash Over 2025 Grammys Speech, Urges Music Executive to Contribute $25K to Support ‘Dropped’ Artists
By Website Content Manager
Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
After securing the Best New Artist award at this year’s Grammys, the pop star used her speech to call for the music industry to offer healthcare for its artists.
For Chappell Roan, advocacy goes beyond words—she backs it up with action.
On Friday, Feb. 7, the 26-year-old pop star fired back at music executive Jeff Rabhan, who had criticized her 2025 Grammys speech in a Feb. 5 op-ed for The Hollywood Reporter. In her speech, Roan had called for the music industry to provide artists with “a livable wage and health care.”
Taking to Instagram Stories, Roan directly challenged Rabhan—former chair of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU and CEO of the edutainment platform bored-of-ed.com—to put his money where his mouth is.
“@jeffrabhan wanna match me $25K to donate to struggling dropped artists? My publicist is @biz3publicity. let’s talk,” she wrote, overlaying a screenshot of his op-ed.
In a follow-up post, Roan assured fans she would “keep everyone updated on the much-awaited” response from Rabhan, promising to “show receipts of the donations.”
She then addressed Rabhan directly, adding, “Mr. Rabhan, I love how you said ‘put your money where your mouth is’—Genius!!! Let’s link and build together and see if you can do the same 🔥🔥🔥.”
The Naked in Manhattan singer followed up with a series of Instagram Stories highlighting artists who she believes “deserve more love and a bigger platform,” including Hemlocke Springs, Sarah Kinsley, Devon Again, and Baby Storme.
After delivering a performance of Pink Pony Club and winning Best New Artist at the Grammys on Sunday, Feb. 2, the Casual singer used her acceptance speech to push for change in the music industry.
“I told myself that if I ever won a Grammy and had the chance to stand before the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels profiting millions off artists provide a livable wage and healthcare, especially for developing artists,” said the Good Luck, Babe! star onstage. She had also been nominated for six awards, including Record of the Year and Album of the Year.
Roan continued, sharing her personal experience: “Because I got signed so young—as a minor—when I was dropped, I had no job experience and, like many others, struggled to find work during the pandemic. I couldn’t afford health insurance.”
The Kink Is My Karma singer, who has previously been open about her mental health, described the experience as “devastating”—feeling deeply committed to her art yet “betrayed by the system.”
“If my label had prioritized artists’ health, I could have received care from the very company I was giving everything to,” she said. “Record labels need to treat their artists as valuable employees, providing them with a livable wage, health insurance, and protection.”
