Chappell Roan stole the spotlight at the 2025 Grammy Awards, not just for her win as Best New Artist, but for her impassioned acceptance speech that called out record labels for exploitative practices. The 27-year-old singer-songwriter, known for her hit “Pink Pony Club,” used her moment on stage to demand livable wages, healthcare, and fair treatment for artists, particularly those just starting in the industry.
Reading from a journal she brought onstage, Chappell Roan shared her struggles after being dropped by Atlantic Records in 2020. Signed as a minor, she revealed how she was left without job experience or health insurance during the pandemic. “It was devastating to feel so committed to my art and so betrayed by a system that dehumanized me,” she said. Her words struck a chord with the audience at Los Angeles’s Crypto.com Arena, many of whom gave her a standing ovation.
Chappell Roan’s speech didn’t stop at addressing labor issues. Earlier on the red carpet, she voiced unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender individuals facing increased challenges under the current political climate. “Trans individuals have always been here and will continue to be here,” she stated boldly. “Pop music is thinking of you and cares about you.”
This dual advocacy—calling for systemic change in the music industry while championing marginalized communities—set Roan apart as a politically engaged artist unafraid to speak truth to power. Her question to record labels, “We got you, but do you got us?” encapsulated her call for accountability from an industry that profits immensely from its talent.
Besides her bold speech, she surprised the audience with her dazzling rendition of “Pink Pony Club.” Chappell Roan was nominated in six categories, including Album of the Year (The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess) and Song of the Year (“Good Luck, Babe!”).