Chappell Roan demanded that record labels provide a living wage and health care to developing artists while accepting her Best New Artist Grammy Award on Sunday.
The “Good Luck, Babe!” singer-songwriter received a roaring applause from the crowd — and standing ovations from Taylor Swift and Benson Boone — after urging the “most powerful people in music” to stand up for their developing talent.
The Grammy winner continued saying that after being dropped by her label during the pandemic she had no health insurance.
“It was devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system and so dehumanized to not have health insurance,” she said.
Watch her full speech here:
chappell's roan full speech at the grammys. you're welcome. pic.twitter.com/8uTFYpu4GW
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“Record labels need to treat their artists as valuable employees with a liveable wage and health insurance and protection,” she continued. “Labels, we got you, but do you got us?”
The star performed “Pink Pony Club” earlier in the night, paying tribute to the city. Roan received six nominations for her debut album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” including the “Big Four” categories: album of the year, record of the year, song of the year and best new artist.
Earlier in the night on the red carpet, Roan said that she has always been inspired by trans people and wanted to validate and recognize their experience as much as possible.
