Chappell Roan’s passionate acceptance speech at the 2025 Grammy Awards has reignited a long-standing debate about how the music industry treats up-and-coming artists. Her remarks have caught the attention of industry leaders, including SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, who weighed in on the challenges musicians face when it comes to fair pay and benefits.
Taking home the Best New Artist award, Roan didn’t just celebrate her win—she took the moment to shine a light on the harsh realities of the music business. She reflected on her own struggles, including being dropped by Atlantic Records in 2020, and called for record labels to do better. Her biggest demand? That labels pay artists a livable wage and provide healthcare, especially considering how much money they make off musicians.
“I would demand that labels and the industry, profiting millions of dollars off of artists, offer a livable wage and healthcare, especially to developing artists,” Roan declared.
Her words struck a nerve, sparking widespread discussion within the industry. Fellow artists, including Halsey, have voiced their support, pushing for more accountability from record labels.
SAG-AFTRA’s Response
Crabtree-Ireland, a key figure in entertainment labor rights, praised Roan for her courage in speaking out. In an interview with Deadline, he acknowledged that artists—driven by their passion—are often vulnerable to being underpaid and overworked.
“The fact that [artists are] so passionate about their art and their careers means that it’s easy to take advantage of them,” he explained, adding that unions have historically played a vital role in protecting creative workers.
However, he also pointed out a major challenge: many new artists sign with non-union labels that don’t provide benefits. While big record labels have unionized contracts that offer some protections, smaller, independent labels often don’t—leaving many artists without healthcare, retirement plans, or even basic financial stability.
“When people criticize the major labels for this, I think, in fairness, we have to acknowledge that the major labels do have unionized contracts,” he noted. “And through those union contracts, they provide benefits that are not necessarily provided by other labels that aren’t signatories.”
Roan’s speech has put the financial struggles of musicians back in the spotlight. While superstars make headlines with million-dollar deals, the reality is that most artists are far from wealthy. Even winning a Grammy doesn’t guarantee financial security.
Crabtree-Ireland welcomed Roan’s activism, expressing interest in working with her to push for better industry-wide protections. Her speech has made it clear: the fight for fair pay and benefits for musicians is far from over, and more voices are needed to demand change.