Charli XCX, Noah Kahan donate $25K as Chappell Roan challenges critics to help artists

When the “Pink Pony Club” singer won the 2025 Grammy for Best New Artist, she delivered a powerful speech calling on the industry to do more to help artists. Now, Chappell Roan challenges critics to match her donations to support artists and Charli XCX and Noah Kahan have signaled their support.

Chappell Roan challenges critics to match donations to help artists

“I told myself that if I ever won a Grammy and got to stand up here before the most powerful people in music,” said Roan from the Grammy stage after thanking her team. “I would demand that labels in the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a livable wage and health care, especially developing artists.”

But Jeff Rabhan, the former Chair of the respected Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, strongly disagreed in an a Hollywood Reporter op-ed.

“Let’s be revolutionaries – right after my direct deposit hits is a sham.”

“Demanding that labels pay artists like salaried employees ignores the fundamental economic structure of the business,” wrote Rabhan. “No one is forcing artists to sign deals. For the one-millionth time — if they don’t like the terms, they can stay independent, own their masters and take the financial risk themselves.”

“Let’s be revolutionaries — right after my direct deposit hits is a sham,” he continued, calling on Roan to start a fund to help artists and “put your money where your mouth is and invest in new models of artist compensation instead of expecting labels to change overnight.”

Fans and artists came to Roan’s defense, including Halsey, who called out both Rabhan’s “bootlicking behavior” and the The Hollywood Reporter for publishing the op-ed: “I hope you’re embarrassed of the absolute personal attack that you’ve ran and disguised as critical journalism…”.

Roan Responds

Always up for a challenge, Roan donated $25,000 to Backline, a non-profit that provides mental health and wellness resources for musicians and challenged her critic to do the same.

“Mr. Rabhan, I love how you said ‘put your money where your mouth is.’ Genius! Let’s link and build together and see if you can do the same,” wrote Roan in a series of Instagram posts “Wanna match me $25k to donate to struggling dropped artists?” she continued, tagging Rabhan specifically and using a screenshot of his op-ed as a backdrop. “My publicist is Biz 3 Publicity. Let’s talk.”

Roan promised to keep her fans informed about what happens next and shouted out some artists she says “deserve more love and a bigger platform,” including Sarah Kinsley, Devon Again, hemlocke springs, and Baby Storme.

Charli XCX and Noah Kahan donate $25,000 each

Charli XCX and Noah Kahan HAVE joined the conversation, each pledging to match Roan’s $25,0000 contribution for rising artists, adding that they too were putting “money where my mouth is”.

“I’m inspired by you,” Kahan wrote in an Instagram story. “Happy to help get the ball rolling. Money where my mouth is!”

“Hey @chappellroan I am going to match your $25k to support artist’s access to healthcare,” wrote Charli XCX, “saw @noahkahanmusic say that (he) would do the same and so I (thought) I’d follow suit. You speech at the Grammys was inspiring and thoughtful and from a genuine place of care. Happy to help get the ball rolling too. Money where my mouth is.”

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, a Berklee College Of Music professor and founder of the Skyline Artists Agency