Chappell Roan’s tireless advocacy for artists calls out industry exploitation
Chappell Roan has put down $25K in support of artists’ access to healthcare, with Noah Kahan and Charli XCX matching her donation following a former music exec’s misguided guest column for The Hollywood Reporter. The trend continues a much-needed conversation about the chronic mistreatment of artists and proves just how easy it is to do right by creatives and their work, a task many remain unwilling to accept.
This all started when Roan called out predatory record labels at the 2025 Grammy Awards, demanding livable wages and healthcare for artists during her acceptance speech for the Best New Artist award. Reading from her trusty journal, Roan shared that she couldn’t afford healthcare when she was dropped by her former label, Atlantic Records, to which she “gave everything.” She then posed a pressing question to record labels: “We got you, but do you got us?”
Former music exec Jeff Rabhan had beef with Roan’s statement, bashing the Best New Artist’s plea in a guest piece submitted to The Hollywood Reporter. “If labels are responsible for artists’ wages, health care and overall well-being, where does it end and personal responsibility begin?” he asked, suggesting she “put her money where her mouth is.” Well, Roan and others have since accepted the challenge.
As fans have come to expect from the Midwest Princess, who’s also a vocal advocate for the trans community, Roan addressed Rabhan on her Instagram story, asking, “Wanna match me $25K to donate to struggling dropped artists?”
“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,” she wrote. Of course, Roan vowed to keep us all updated on the venture, promising to “show receipts” of the donations.
In the days since, Noah Kahan and Charli XCX have taken the opportunity to match Roan’s pledge, quite literally putting their money where their mouths are. Both artists told Roan they wanted to “get the ball rolling.” This effort is an incredible help to artists struggling, but Roan has made it clear that sharing her experiences at the Grammys “wasn’t meant to be a crowdfunded band-aid but a call to action to the leaders of the industry.”
“Random dudes are allowed to criticize my Grammy speech, but they best put their money where their mouth is, otherwise MOVE out of the way.” Alongside a link to Backline, where Roan made her donation, she also addressed fans, writing, “Y’all don’t have to donate a damn penny. This is one of many opportunities for the industry powers to show up for artists.”
But, will leaders answer the call? Sumerian Records has now matched Roan’s pledge, but the fight is far from over.
The conversation continues
It speaks volumes that other artists were the first to pitch in where industry leaders have failed, a trend borrowed from working-class people who often struggle to drive traffic to stagnant GoFundMe pages faithfully shared by friends and perfect strangers across social media platforms. Coincidentally, the vast majority of GoFundMe efforts aim to pay for medical bills, procedures, and medications, making up for what health insurance plans don’t cover and that which many can’t afford to pay out of pocket, as 54% of all firms offered only some health benefits to employees in 2024. This leaves nearly half of all workers without employer-sponsored healthcare, including many holding jobs in the arts.
No matter your trade, it’s rough out here. But it’s no secret artists often get the short end of the stick when it comes to fair pay and benefits like healthcare, which are virtually unheard of, even with years of experience or a degree or two under your belt. Whether you’re a musician, writer, designer, painter—what have you—the term “starving artist” applies. Roan is far from the first to suggest that it shouldn’t.
I’d like to say things have come a long way since I was offered a whopping $2 per piece as a writer with an “impressive resume,” in a recruiter’s words, but that was a serious proposal I received less than six months ago. In light of the Writers Guild of America’s strike against Netflix in 2023, I don’t think I need to argue a case against what’s essentially an hourly wage of less than $5. At least not to the working class.
Though the conversation didn’t begin with Roan’s Grammy speech, her efforts continue to shine a harsh and unforgiving light on industry exploitation. Most can agree wages this low are unacceptable in any other field. Why, then, are artists financially punished and forced to go without?
We need art, plain and simple. We need avenues to explore new ideas, to share our own, and to find solutions to the problems we all face on a grand scale. This is art’s function, and it’s real work. Without artists, we would see our culture’s forward movement come to a standstill. That, and a whole lot of remakes and sequels to your favorite ’90s and early 2000s franchises. Like, way more than there are now. Nobody wants that. Please support artists.
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.
