Audio

STATEMENT

 

I've re-released my music on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music, after a year's boycott.

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The Spotify boycott was in protest over their funding of AI weapons development, directly 'benefitting' -what a word- two notorious current aggressor states in the process: Russia in Ukraine, and Israel in Palestine. Amazon's was more to do with their appalling staff working conditions and lack of staff's rights globally compared to exec's greed and benefit, a disgraceful hallmark of our current post-Neoliberal society. Apple's was for their contribution to globalised infantilisation of society as a key arm in their relentless pursuit of monopoly, trying to turn us all into Eloi; with the construction of a successful monopoly, the small people -you and me- lose, everywhere. All 3 combined represent 54% of global streaming.

 

The pitiful financial return from these abusive streaming giants is, massive a problem as it is, a smaller one compared to the current global human, human rights, women's rights, humanitarian, empathetic, gender, gender violence, and racial crises. It is certainly part of the problem, but not the worst of it. No artist is on these platforms -except the usual few whose volume serves to maintain the structure and thus promote mutual reinforcement and reinforment of the system- to make money, but for other reasons.

 

In the year away many, conversations with audiences, fellow musicians, artists, staff, family and students have led me to conclude that there is more to be lost by people not finding and listening to my human, inclusive, peace-bringing message on the major streaming platforms, than by excluding it from them. My music has continued, and will continue to be available uninterrupted on many smaller platforms.

 

This change, making my positive-message music available to be shared with the majority of the global streaming base, means swallowing the bitter pill of participating in systems I am at odds with. But I do that anyway, when I pay taxes that as well as funding public health, lighting and libraries, also fund institutions like a war machine and the Crown.

 

Taking part in such a system, with carriers with views I and many others view as so harmful to humanity, is the price I accept, for now, to pay in exchange for not money, but for the possibility of my message of hope and unity to reach the majority of people listening by streaming. By removing myself, this voice is not heard. The majority of listeners would not know of its existence. I act from the inside.

 

I am proud of my next to zero monthly listeners because it means the abusive, unequal, sexist, misogynist, racist systems status quo currently in operation, IG, Meta and X included, sees me as something not aligned with them. What I create and what I put out is neither favoured, welcomed nor promoted by the big tech, tech bro carriers. I am just fine with financial and engagement return being the opposite of aligned with such people and practices. But I'm sat back at the table, and use my seat at it to promote values that serve us all.

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As the great Labi Siffre said: 'You don't make hit records this way...but you can sleep at night.'