Grammy Winner Chappell Roan Dares Industry Exec to Match Her $25K Donation for Struggling Artists
In a bold response to criticism, Grammy-winning artist Chappell Roan has challenged former music executive Jeff Rabhan to match her $25,000 donation to struggling dropped artists. This challenge comes after Rabhan published a critical op-ed in The Hollywood Reporter condemning Roan's Grammy acceptance speech about artist compensation.
Chappell Roan performing on concert stage
Photo Credit: Chappell Roan by Justin Higuchi / CC by 2.0
After winning Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammy Awards, Roan used her platform to advocate for better industry standards, specifically calling for labels to provide developing artists with livable wages and healthcare. Rabhan's subsequent op-ed criticized her stance as "naive" and "uninformed."
Responding through Instagram Stories, Roan directly challenged Rabhan: "Wanna match me $25k to donate to struggling dropped artists?" She promised transparency by sharing donation receipts and highlighted several emerging artists she believes deserve more recognition, including Sarah Kinsley, Devon Again, hemlocke springs, and Baby Storme.
The controversy has drawn support from other industry figures, including Halsey, who criticized both Rabhan and The Hollywood Reporter for publishing what she called a "personal attack" disguised as journalism.
SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland clarified that while major labels do offer health insurance through the National Code of Fair Practice for Sound Recordings, many developing artists struggle to meet eligibility requirements due to insufficient income.
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