Rhiannon Ingle
Chappell Roan has issued a response to her former-record label exec who criticised her Grammys speech.
The 26-year-old 'Pink Pony Club' singer took home the Grammy for Best New Artist on Sunday (2 February) and, in her acceptance speech, she boldly called out the music industry.
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"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," Roan began,
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," Chappell concluded, "We got you. But do you got us?"
Since then, music exec Jeffrey Rabhan has responded to the speech calling Roan 'far too green and uninformed to be the agent of change she aspires to be today'.
He wrote in the Hollywood Reporter: "Roan’s call for record labels to pay artists a liveable wage and provide health care was noble – but also wildly misinformed.
"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."
Roan's now fired back at Rabhan's remarks taking to Instagram to share a screenshot of his article writing: "@jeffrabhan wanna match me $25k to donate to struggling artists? My publicist is @biz3publicity.
"Let’s talk."
In a follow-up post, she continued: "Mr. Rabhan 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."
Roan added: "Will keep everyone updated on the much awaited @jeffrabhan response!! And I will show receipts of the donations <3."
Fellow singer, Halsey, has also fired back at Rabhan's comments made in the Hollywood Reporter article writing on Instagram: "I hope you’re embarrassed of the absolute personal attack that you’ve ran and disguised as critical journalism.
"This is so far beneath the standard you should uphold as a publication."