A former music industry executive criticized Chappell Roan's 2025 Grammy Best New Artist acceptance speech, prompting a strong defense from Halsey and widespread industry discussion about artist benefits.

Jeff Rabhan, former A&R executive at Atlantic and Elektra Records, wrote a column in The Hollywood Reporter calling Roan's speech "hackneyed and plagiarized," particularly regarding her calls for artist healthcare and living wages. Rabhan claimed Roan was "broadcasting naivete" while criticizing the industry that supported her success.

Halsey strongly defended Roan on Instagram, calling Rabhan's column a "ranting, seething tantrum" that misrepresented artists' experiences. She emphasized that label advances typically only cover basic survival needs while creating albums, making it difficult for artists to maintain other employment.

During her Grammy acceptance speech, Roan referenced her personal experience of being dropped by Atlantic in 2020, highlighting the lack of healthcare benefits despite her complete dedication to the label. "It was so devastating to feel so committed to my art and to feel so betrayed by the system and to be so dehumanized to not have healthcare," she stated.

Halsey further pointed out that Roan's decade-long journey in the industry contradicts Rabhan's portrayal of her as an "instant industry insider." She criticized the comparison of Roan to established artists like Taylor Swift, noting that Roan hasn't yet seen the financial benefits of her recent success.

This exchange has sparked broader discussions about artist welfare and the music industry's responsibility to provide basic benefits to its talent.

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