Chappell Roan has responded to the music industry executive who called her Grammy speech misguided and performative after she urged record labels to better support smaller artists.
The 26-year-old pop star challenged Jeff Rabhan, a former artist manager for over 15 years, on Friday to match a $25,000 donation she said she’d make toward artists who have been dropped by their music labels.
After accepting her first Grammy win Sunday in the best new artist category, Roan called out record labels for failing aspiring musicians by not offering livable wages and healthcare benefits. The “Pink Pony Club” singer shared she felt betrayed and dehumanized after being dropped from her first label in a system she said regularly fails smaller artists.
In a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter published Wednesday, Rabhan argued music labels bear no responsibility over an artist’s health care and well-being. The 54-year-old emphasized labels do not need to provide funds beyond advances and royalties. He also urged the singer to use her success to support struggling artists herself “rather than just talk at it.”
Roan, whose real name is is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, responded to the Rabhan’s request declaring she has no problem doing just that. She wrote that she will donating $25,000 to “struggling dropped artists” without specifying which organization her money will go toward.
“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 on her Instagram story Friday.
Later in her Instagram story she promised to keep followers updated on Rabhan’s awaited response and highlighted smaller artists she said deserved recognition.
Rabhan says Roan is ‘pointing in the wrong direction’
Rabhan called Roan’s Instagram story asking him to raise money “meaningless” and said the singer is “pointing in the wrong direction.”
“Does she want to help artists, or does she want or just want to win a social media fight? It’s really that simple,” Rabhan told USA TODAY Friday. “Obviously she’s more interested in pointing at me, as opposed to trying to help all the artists.”
