nudged aside to win the Grammy for Sunday, capping a remarkably explosive rise to fame for an artist dropped by her last record label.
Roan, who is openly queer and taps into drag culture, was the sassy toast of the pop world in 2024 with tracks that include 鈥淕ood Luck, Babe!鈥� 鈥淩ed Wine Supernova鈥� and 鈥淗ot To Go!鈥� from her 2023 album 鈥淭he Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.鈥�
In her speech, she called for record labels to give a livable wage and health care, especially for developing artists. 鈥淚t was devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system and dehumanized,鈥� Roan said.
She ended with a line that got plenty of cheers: 鈥淟abels, we got you but do you got us?鈥�
Roan also earned five other Grammy nominations 鈥� album of the year, song of the year, record of the year, and best pop vocal album.
For the best new artist crown, Roan beat out Carpenter, Benson Boone, Doechii, RAYE, Shaboozey and .
Roan began her music career in 2015 when she signed with Atlantic Records, releasing several singles including 鈥淧ink Pony Club.鈥� In 2020, the label dropped her. She moved back to her hometown to work as a barista before releasing her debut full-length album.
Roan first hit the mainstream as the opener for Olivia Rodrigo鈥檚 Guts Tour and drew a record-breaking crowd at Lollapalooza.
She also won best new artist at the 2024 MTV VMAs, beating Shaboozey, Gracie Abrams, Tyla and Teddy Swims.
鈥淚 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,鈥� she told the AP in 2023.
She joins past best new artist winners like 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.
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For more coverage of the 2025 Grammys:
Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
