Noah Kahan and Charli XCX have backed Chappell Roan and matched her $25k donation to struggling artists after an op-ed controversy.
- READ MORE: On The Cover – Chappell Roan: the pop supernova who feels like one of the ‘Drag Race’ girls
Last Sunday (February 2), the former NME Cover star won her first Grammy at this year’s ceremony. While collecting the award for Best New Artist, she called out the music industry and “demanded that labels in the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a liveable wage and health care, especially developing artists.”
Jeffrey Rabhan – a longtime music executive and former Chair of NYU’s Clive Davis Institute – responded to her words in The Hollywood Reporter, calling her Grammys speech “misguided” and “uninformed” in a guest column.
Shortly afterwards, Halsey defended Roan against the “personal attack” in the op-ed, taking to her Instagram stories to write that it was “boot licking behaviour”. The ‘Good Luck, Babe’ singer also hit out at Rabhan herself, posting a screenshot of his article in which he claimed the Missouri pop star was “no longer a struggling artist” and should “do something about” the wealth disparity “rather than talk about it”.
“[Rabhan], wanna match me $25k to donate to struggling, dropped artists?” Roan asked, “My publicity is @biz3publicity. Let’s talk.” As of the time of writing, Jeffrey Rabhan has not replied to Roan.
Now, ‘Stick Season‘ hitmaker Kahan has followed suit. Posting on his Instagram stories today (February 9), he came out in support of Roan and matched her donation. “Hey @chappellroan – I’m going to match your 25k to support artist’s access to healthcare,” he wrote.
“I’m inspired by you. Happy to help get the ball rolling.” Having drawn a white arrow pointing to his mouth, he finished off: “Money where my mouth is!” Kahan is a long-time fan of Roan’s, and when the pair co-headlined Hinterland Music Festival last year, he joked: “I might be headlining but I’m really here for Chappell Roan.”
Noah Kahan backs Chappell Roan against former music exec. Jeff Rabhan and pledges to match her $25,000 donation to aid struggling artists:
“I’m inspired by you. Happy to help get the ball rolling. Money where my mouth is!” pic.twitter.com/p7SN8JshOr
— Pop Base (@PopBase) February 9, 2025
Likewise, ‘Brat’ singer Charli is set to headline Primavera Sound alongside her and Sabrina Carpenter later this year and went on to declare the line-up was the “holy trinity” of pop. She is not only a vocal supporter of the ‘Pink Pony Club’ singer, but was also reportedly one of the first people to reach out to Roan about the pressures of fame.
Inspired by Kahan’s gesture, she too took to Instagram today to back Roan. “hey @chappellroan I am going to match your $25k to support artist’s access to healthcare,” she wrote. “i saw @noahkahanmusic say that he would do the same and so i thought id follow suit. your 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.”
Following both Chappell Roan’s and Noah Kahan’s $25k donation to struggling artists, Charli XCX has done the same.
“your 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 xx” pic.twitter.com/GPgnxGUCus
— CRN (@ChappellRoanNow) February 9, 2025
