Chappell Roan calls on record labels to support artists

Chappell Roan, winner of best new artist at the 2025 Grammys, used her speech to call on record labels to provide fair wages and healthcare for artists.

Chappell Roan at the 67th Grammy Awards on February 2, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Christopher Polk/Billboard/Getty Images

By Sarah Oktaviany and Novanka Laras

Chappell Roan, the rising Gen Z pop sensation, made a bold statement at the 67th Grammy Awards on Sunday, using her best new artist acceptance speech to call for better treatment of musicians by record labels. As she took the stage, she not only celebrated her meteoric rise to fame but also urged the music industry to provide fair wages and healthcare to artists, particularly those still developing their careers.

Roan, who skyrocketed to fame with hits like Good Luck, Babe!, Hot to Go!, and Pink Pony Club, was a standout at this year’s Grammys. She was nominated in six categories, including best pop solo performance and best pop vocal album. Earlier in the evening, she delivered an electrifying performance of Pink Pony Club, bringing her signature theatrical style to the stage with an entourage of Western clowns and scarecrow dancers, embodying the song’s tribute to queer nightlife in West Hollywood.

A long road to success and a fight for change

Although Roan received recognition as a new artist at the Grammys, her journey in the music industry began years earlier. Signed to Atlantic Records as a teenager, she moved to Los Angeles in 2018 to pursue her career. However, after struggling to gain commercial traction, she was dropped by the label, an experience that deeply impacted her and shaped her views on the industry’s treatment of emerging artists.

Her speech reflected that journey, highlighting the financial instability many musicians face when their careers don’t take off immediately. She directly addressed the power players in the music business, calling on labels to offer their artists fair compensation and healthcare benefits.

Chappell Roan’s full Grammy acceptance speech

Roan’s Grammy moment wasn’t just about celebration—it was a call to action. She made it clear that while labels profit from artists, they often fail to provide them with basic necessities like a livable wage and health insurance. Here’s what she had to say:

Thank you to my fellow nominees whose music got me through this past year. Brat was the best night of my life this year. Thank you to everyone who listened and helped me get here today. Dan [Danniel Nigro], Island Records, Amusement Records, my friends, my family, and, above all, my Papa Chappell, who I named myself after.

I told myself if I ever won a Grammy and got to stand up here in front of the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels in the industry, who are profiting millions of dollars off of artists, offer a livable wage and healthcare, especially to developing artists.

I got signed so young—I was a minor—and when I got dropped, I had zero job experience under my belt. Like most people, I struggled to find a job during the pandemic and couldn’t afford health insurance. It was devastating to feel so committed to my art and yet feel so betrayed by the system. I felt dehumanized by the fact that I didn’t have healthcare.

If my label had prioritized 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 livable wage, health insurance, and protection. Labels, we got you, but do you got us?

Thank you.

The impact of Roan’s message

Roan’s speech resonated with many in the industry, sparking discussions about how labels handle artist contracts, compensation, and benefits. While major stars often secure lucrative deals, emerging musicians frequently struggle financially, facing instability as they build their careers.

Her comments align with a growing movement advocating for fairer treatment of artists in the streaming era, where music revenues have soared, but many performers still find it difficult to sustain themselves financially. As the industry evolves, calls for reform—including better wages, healthcare, and protections for musicians—are becoming louder.

With her Grammy win solidifying her place in the music industry, Chappell Roan has not only proven herself as a formidable talent but also as a voice for change. As she continues her rise, it remains to be seen how labels and industry leaders will respond to her challenge. One thing is certain: Roan isn’t afraid to use her platform to fight for the next generation of artists.