Halsey slams Hollywood Reporter op-ed criticizing Chappell Roan's Grammys speech

Express Tribune

07-02-2025

Halsey has publicly criticized The Hollywood Reporter and music executive Jeff Rabhan for an op-ed condemning Chappell Roan's Grammy acceptance speech.
The article, titled "Chappell Groan: The Misguided Rhetoric of an Instant Industry Insider," dismissed Roan's criticism of record labels, calling her speech naive and uninformed.
Roan, who won Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammys, used her platform to call out labels for failing to provide adequate financial support for artists. While many praised her for speaking out, Rabhan's piece accused her of biting the hand that feeds her, questioning whether labels should be responsible for artists' wages and well-being.
Halsey, known for advocating for artist rights, fired back on Instagram Stories, slamming the piece as "a personal attack disguised as critical journalism." She called Rabhan's argument "bootlicking behavior" and condemned the industry's failure to support artists' basic needs while profiting from their work.
Photo: Instagram
"If you want to profit off someone's art, that artist should have the basic living means to feel safe enough to create that art," Halsey wrote, pointing out the stark financial disparity between rising artists like Roan and industry moguls like Taylor Swift.
While Rabhan argued that Roan should lead by example rather than complain, Halsey's response underscores the reality of a flawed industry where many artists struggle despite mainstream success. The debate continues, but one thing is clear—Halsey isn't backing down.