Chappell Roan overcame competition from Sabrina Carpenter to secure the Grammy Award for Best New Artist on Sunday, marking an astonishing ascent in her career after being dropped by her previous record label.
Roan, who identifies as openly queer and often draws inspiration from drag culture, emerged as a vibrant figure in the pop scene in 2024. Her hit songs, including “Good Luck, Babe!,” “Red Wine Supernova,” and “Hot To Go!,” are part of her acclaimed 2023 album titled “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.”
In her acceptance speech, she emphasized the need for record labels to ensure a fair wage and health benefits, particularly for emerging artists. Roan expressed her struggles, saying, “It was devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system and dehumanized.”
She concluded her speech with a memorable line that resonated with the audience: “Labels, we got you but do you got us?”
Additionally, Roan is nominated for three other Grammys this year, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year, although she came up short against Carpenter in the categories of Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album.
In the Best New Artist category, Roan triumphed over a talented group that included Benson Boone, Doechii, Khruangbin, RAYE, Shaboozey, and Teddy Swims.
Her music journey began in 2015 when she joined Atlantic Records, releasing several singles such as “Pink Pony Club.” However, in 2020, the label discontinued her contract, prompting her to return to her hometown where she supported herself as a barista before launching her first full-length album.
Roan gained initial recognition as the supporting act for Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts Tour and captivated audiences at Lollapalooza with record-breaking attendance.
She also took home the Best New Artist award at the 2024 MTV VMAs, surpassing competitors like Shaboozey, Gracie Abrams, Tyla, and Teddy Swims.
Reflecting on her creative inspiration, Roan stated, “I think that a lot of the songs are from daydreams, and a lot of that daydreaming happened from Missouri, from this repressed state of not having a queer community growing up and feeling really weird.”
Chappell Roan joins the prestigious ranks of previous Best New Artist winners, which includes legendary names such as The Beatles, Carly Simon, Bette Midler, Culture Club, Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, Lauryn Hill, Christina Aguilera, John Legend, Adele, Dua Lipa, and Chance the Rapper.
Chappell Roan takes home Grammy Award for Best New Artist
