Chappell Roan demands 'liveable' wages for artists in Grammy Awards speech
Roan called on record label executives to offer "liveable" wages and healthcare for artists at the 2025 Grammy Awards.
The singer-songwriter was named Best New Artist at the prizegiving held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California on Sunday night, beating out Benson Boone, Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, Khruangbin, Raye, Shaboozey, and Teddy Swims in the category.
Taking to the stage, Roan - real name Kayleigh Amstutz - thanked her fellow nominees, friends, and family before reading a speech from her notebook in which she urged music industry leaders to provide more support to young performers.
"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," she began, as the audience cheered.
"Because I got signed so young, I got signed as a minor. When I got dropped, I had zero job experience under my belt, and like most people, I had a difficult time finding a job in the pandemic and could not afford health insurance."
Roan went on to recall the difficulties she experienced as an up-and-coming singer.
"It was so devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system.
“If my label would have prioritised artists' health, I could have been provided care by a company I was giving everything to," the Pink Pony Club hitmaker continued.
To conclude, she urged label bosses to make sweeping changes across the business.
"So, record labels need to treat their artists as valuable employees with a liveable wage and health insurance and protection. Labels, we got you, but do you got us (sic)?" she questioned.
Roan’s debut album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”, was also up for Album of the Year at the Grammys, though Beyoncé's “Cowboy Carter” won the accolade.
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