Words by Elliott Hollingsbee
It’s high time we start paying attention to the way the industry treats female artists, as more and more go independent in a bid to survive.
It feels like there’s somewhat of a reckoning currently occurring on the UK R&B scene. More and more artists are going independent, expressing frustration with their record labels, and bringing behind the scenes drama out into the open in a way that the industry may not be used to, but sorely needs. The issues being raised seem to be disproportionately affecting women, particularly women of colour, who often face more barriers within the industry anyways. So, what are these particular problems, and what can we, as fans, do to help?
Bree Runway is one of those affected, recently announcing that she has left her record label, opting to go independent instead. I mused earlier this year that her sporadic releases with no album in sight could be an indication of issues behind the scenes, and her statement on the matter was an honest explanation of why she has been “so uncharacteristically silent recently”. Bree spoke of the issues she faces as a young Black woman, saying that “naturally or perhaps, unnaturally resources are capped for us or we have to fight a million times harder”. Hopefully this newfound independence will help Bree realise her potential and prove to be an important step towards her growing success.
An artist that the independent route worked very well for is RAYE, who virally documented her struggles with Polydor Records before gaining independence from them in 2021. She released her debut album, My 21st Century Blues, earlier this year to critical acclaim, scored a viral number one hit with ‘Escapism.’, and is currently a regular feature on the festival circuit, following on from her successful run as an opening act for both SZA and Kali Uchis on their respective tours. Her album marked a departure from her usual dance-based sound: her independence ended up not only leading to more success, but a greater authenticity in her music. Hopefully we can soon say the same for Bree.
Mahalia is another who has spoken about her record label struggles. Her sophomore album IRL releases on July 14th, yet she tweeted a few days ago that she is “creating and releasing music in a world that doesn’t actually want us to win”. Furthermore, she more shockingly revealed that she has”never made a penny off of [her] own music”, due to the contract she has with label Asylum Records. Crucially, she said that “real life sales make artists more than just ‘pre-saves’ and streams… if you REALLY want to support your favourite artists, buy tickets to their shows and BUY their music”. We all know that Spotify streams equate to a paltry amount of money – around $0.004 per stream – so purchasing albums means artists get more money than streaming does.
Buying merchandise, concert tickets, and the music itself are some of the ways to help your favourite smaller artists. Still, it’s undeniable that there is a gender issue here as well – all of the artists I have talked about have mentioned not just how their contracts held them back, but how they were already at a disadvantage due to their gender. Mahalia said, “I think men get way more support from the industry on their music than women do. In every avenue”, and we can only agree. Support your female R&B favs as much as possible!
Essential Albums: Beyoncé’s ‘Dangerously in Love’ at 20