Chappell Roan’s Grammys Speech Inspires Donations To Backline’s ‘We Got You’ Campaign
After Chappell Roan made headlines for advocating during her Grammy acceptance speech that labels provide artists with health care, the pop star made a $25,000 donation to nonprofit Backline – and the organization has now officially launched the We Got You! campaign to support artists’ mental health. Today’s announcement notes that longtime mental health advocate and Backline supporter Noah Kahan was inspired to also donate $25,000 and Charli XCX soon did the same.
Backline, which was launched in 2019, connects musicians, touring professionals, venue staff, crew and their families with critical mental health resources and wellness care. Over the years, the nonprofit has created more than 1,800+ custom care plans for industry individuals.
“The We Got You campaign is a powerful step in prioritizing mental health and well-being of those who make the music we all love,” Backline Community Manager Terra Lopez said in a statement. “Thank you to Chappell Roan, Charli xcx, and Noah Kahan for your advocacy and action to create a more supportive industry – together, we are showing artists they are seen, heard, and cared for.”
During her acceptance speech for Best New Artist at the Grammys Feb. 2 Roan said: “I told myself if I ever won a Grammy and I got to stand up here in front of the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels and the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a livable wage and health care, especially to developing artists. Because I got signed so young, I got signed as a minor, and when I got dropped, I had zero job experience under my belt, and like so many people, I had a difficult time finding a job in the pandemic and could not afford health insurance. It was so devastating to feel so committed to my art and so betrayed by the system and so dehumanized to not have health. And if my label would’ve prioritized artists’ health, I could’ve been provided care by a company I was giving everything to. So record labels need to treat their artists as valuable employees with a livable wage and health insurance and protection. Labels, we got you, but do you got us?”
Monday’s announcement from Backline points out that following Roan’s speech, former music executive Jeff Rabhan penned an op-ed that was published by the Hollywood Reporter in which he criticized Roan as “misguided.”
In response, Roan posted on her Instagram stories Friday: “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.”
Roan also shouted out artists that she said deserved more love including Hemlocke Springs, Sarah Kinsley, Devon Again and Baby Storme.
On Sunday she took to Instagram once again to further explain her stance and announce that she had donated $25,000 to Backline: “sharing my personal experience on the Grammy stage wasn’t meant to be a crowdfunded bandaid but a call to action to the leaders of the industry to step up, help us make real change and protect their investments in a sustainable way.
She added, “My mind will not be changed about artists deserving more than what’s standard in the industry. Random dudes are allowed to criticize my Grammy speech, but they best put their money where their mouth is, otherwise MOVE out of the way.”
Backline co-founder Hilary Gleason previously talked to Pollstar about the organization’s case management program and how Backline was supporting those affected by the L.A. wildfires. Gleason said, “Case management is our primary program we’ve been running since we launched five and a half years ago. And that offers one-on-one support in navigating resources. You fill out a quick form on our website and then automatically get a link to schedule time with one of our case managers, all of whom are licensed mental health providers that understand the music industry.”
As of post time, more than 50 people have donated to the We Got You! campaign, including industry executives such as Wasserman Music’s Lee Anderson and Jackie Nalpant, as well as 100x Hospitality’s Dan Berkowitz, AEG Presents’ Don Strasburg and JET Management’s Tyler Goldberg.
Visit https://backline.care/ for more information and to get help. And make a donation to the We Got You! campaign here.
UPDATE: AEG Global Touring donated $25,000 with a message saying, “Thanks Chappell Roan for inspiring change.” Ash Avildsen also donated $25,000 with a message saying, “Sumerian Records always strives to be on the right side of history. Then. Now. Forever.” Other major donations include manager Guy Oseary, Wasserman Foundation and Hinterland Music Festival each donating $25,000. Hinterland Music Festival wrote: “Our favorite artist’s favorite artist brought us here. We got you!”
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