During her acceptance speech for the Grammy award for best new artist, Chappell Roan criticized record labels for not providing sufficient wages and healthcare for up-and-coming musicians.

At the Grammys on Sunday, the “Hot to Go!” singer delivered her speech from a notebook, stating that the industry is failing smaller artists. The 26-year-old pop musician expressed feelings of being “so betrayed” and “so dehumanized” after her first label contract ended unfavorably.

“I promised myself that if I ever secured a Grammy and stood here among the most influential figures in music, I would call for record labels and the industry to provide artists, who generate millions for them, with fair wages and healthcare, particularly to those still developing their careers,” she stated.

Chappell Roan, whose birth name is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, was signed by Atlantic Records as a teenager in 2015 but was released by the label in 2020.

“If my label had focused on the well-being of their artists, I could have received care from the organization I dedicated myself to. Record labels need to regard their artists as important contributors, ensuring they are compensated fairly and have health insurance and proper protections,” she told the audience at the Crypto.com Arena. “Labels, we have your back, but do you have ours?”

For a couple of years, Roan juggled various jobs, including nannying and working as a production assistant, while building her career as an independent musician. In 2023, she signed with Amusement Records, a branch of Island Records established by her producer and collaborator Dan Nigro.

That fall, she launched her debut studio album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.”

Roan appeared on stage wearing an oversized gray dress with a unique princess hat, which humorously fell off as she remarked, “My hat’s going to fall off; it’s going to be fine.”

As a first-time nominee, she secured her first Grammy win following six nominations thanks to her 2023 album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” and the popular track “Good Luck Babe!” Roan won the best new artist award, competing against nominees like Sabrina Carpenter, Docheii, and Shaboozey.

Earlier in the event, she performed her popular song “Pink Pony Club.”

Melissa Ruggieri contributed to this report.