More and more new artists these days are preferring the indie route instead of signing a traditional record deal. Most singers actually earn more from streaming as compared to those attached to a label (and are only earning a fraction).
Not just that, musicians these days have also become more finance-savvy thanks to royalties data being made available on streaming services. Back then, it was a huge deal when an artist scored a record deal, but these days, people have learned not to place too much trust in the music industry.
Just last month, rapper Zamaera broke the news to her almost 70k followers on Instagram that she has parted ways with her label Lakefront Records. “For the past 18 months, I’ve been trying to reach a settlement with the label I was signed to. It was the biggest adversity I was facing because that was the main reason I could not release any new music since October 2019,” she wrote.
She continued, “I’m not going to dive into the details (saving that for the diss tracks) but I am finally proud to announce that I am now officially an independent artist. 100% indie and self-managed. Eager to learn and excited to collaborate.”
Earlier this week, DANGERDISKO took to their Twitter account to share their two cents on independent music in Malaysia. The artist pointed out that “there are actually 2 types of independent artists that exists within this scene“.
Here’s the breakdown:
- “The first type are people who chose the indie route as an alternative to what the mainstream has to offer. These people thrive in the fringes and are happy playing music for their small niches or fan base. There’s never pressure to ‘make it’ or ‘be heard’, they are already content.”
- “The second type are artists who treat the indie scene as a pit stop or waiting room for their inevitable ‘big break’ into the mainstream. They use the platform to launch themselves into their dream careers. Sometimes it happens, but most of the time you just end up waiting for it.”
Of course, to each their own. Having said that, DANGERDISKO pointed out that “the second type is that artists tend to be bitter and start building up resentment for spending all their lives waiting for that ‘big break’. They start calling out unfair or bias treatments that probably don’t even exist“.
The problem with this is if succesful, there will no longer be a defined difference between the indie scene and the mainstream. Indie shows will be considered ‘mainstream shows with no budget’.
You see the problem here?
— DANGERDISKO (@DANGERDISKO) April 13, 2021
Take it from someone who’s spent their life trying to fit in. It’s never about where you end up, its always about how you got there. Be content that music has given you the beauty of self expression. Play music for urself, never for others.
Now which type of indie artist are u?
— DANGERDISKO (@DANGERDISKO) April 13, 2021
