Musician Chappell Roan has rarely shied away from controversy since bursting onto the scene, and that now includes even the controversies stemming from her controversies.
Roan made waves at the Grammys on Feb. 2 when, after winning the Best New Artist award, she used her acceptance speech to call upon the music industry to pay a living wage and benefits to struggling artists.
You can probably guess how that went over with the multimillionaire executives in the industry—and one of them, Jeff Rabhan, quickly took to The Hollywood Reporter to rake Roan over the coals for thinking the notoriously predatory music industry should, you know, treat artists like human beings.
Roan was just as quick to clap back at his op-ed, eye-rollingly titled "Chappell Groan: The Misguided Rhetoric of an Instant Industry Insider," in an Instagram Story in which she very cleverly used Rabhan's own words against him.
In his op-ed, Rabhan contended that Roan has no right to criticize the music industry because she's so new to it, a contention that is based on a faulty premise since Roan's first record deal was a full decade ago, but whatever.
He sniped at Roan, saying:
"...[S]kin in the game earns a seat at the table. But that table requires a willingness to leave blood on the floor and to put your money where your mouth is."
Given that Roan toiled in obscurity for nearly 10 years before finding success, it's difficult to understand what point Rabhan thought he was making. But Roan was quick to clarify the conversation with her response.
@chappellroan/Instagram
In her Instagram Stories, she wrote:
“Mr. Rabhan, I love how in the article you said, ‘Put your money where your mouth is.’ Genius! Let’s link and build together and see if you can do the same."
"@jeffrabhan wanna match me $25k to donate to struggling artists?"
Roan then included her publicist's contact info for Rabhan and added:
“Will keep everyone updated on the much awaited response! And I will show the receipts of the donations."
Rabhan has since responded—via posts on X, which Roan does not use. In one fairly indecipherable post, he replied not to Roan's account but to PopCrave's to tell her she is "looking for $ in the wrong place."
Whatever response Rabhan was expecting, it was likely not the one he got, which was mockery.
Rabhan followed that with another extremely lengthy X post in which he insinuated that he is a financially struggling "educator" and excoriated Roan for asking someone like him for money.
Which, it must be said, is a frankly ludicrous thing for someone who used to manage Kelly Clarkson, for just one illustrious music industry résumé credit, to actually say out loud.
Anyway, Roan's clapback definitely won her plenty of applause.
If Chappell Roan has proved one thing besides her talent, it's that the entertainment industry simply does not know what to do with a woman who outspokenly refuses to play any of its games.
May she keep the powers that be quaking in their boots.
@JennJVN/X
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