James Blake has announced on Instagram that he is a fully independent artist. A video posted on his account showed Blake saying that it “feels good to be independent because I’ve wanted to take things into my own hands for a long time” and that he was looking forward to working more “directly” with his fans. Blake signed his first record deal with A&M Records to release his self-titled debut album in 2011. Subsequent album releases followed with other companies, including Republic Records, ‘Overgrown’ in 2013, ‘The Colour In Anything’ in 2016, ‘Assume Form’ in 2019, ‘Friends That Break Your Heart’ this year and ‘Playing Robots Into Heaven’ in 2023.
The singer expressed his concern over the issue of artists not receiving adequate royalties for their music on social media last month. He criticised the low payouts from streaming services and went on to share music on a new online platform called Vault. The funds raised by the service will go directly to the artists without any intermediaries. Blake shared that he is initially offering three previously unreleased songs on the platform – “We Culture Ref1,” “The Man Who Talks Too Much,” and “Olivia Kept” – with more material to follow. The artist added that the platform would be used to share insights into future releases, tours and other announcements.
Blake has suggested that his Vault service offers music fans and artists a way out of the current system. He argues that it could enable musicians to be more creative and release more content without worrying too much about keeping up with trends. Meanwhile, the abolition of intermediaries should reduce the “relentless merry-go-round” of the industry. Blake announced that Vault can be accessed for $5 per month from the official website.
Blake’s comments come after he called for “major labels” to provide their musicians with more support to deal with stresses they experience while touring. He suggested that labels pay for professional therapies to help artists deal with a range of issues they may face. Blake has previously criticised the effects of touring on musicians’ mental health, referring to how disconnecting from support systems, family, and friends can be challenging. Blake believes that discussing these problems and getting professional help early can help artists prevent common issues
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