My open letter to Harriet from
Amuse.io and the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Roshi
Motman
Harriet,
WOW! So, you are fully aware of all the possible reasons why
a music store can be a target by Bots/AI and YET you decide to treat your
artists/clients like a criminal?
I really do have to wonder WHY I haven’t received an e-mail
months ago. Why haven’t you warned me and informed me about “strange activities”
on my account instead of CLOSING it from one day to another without ANY explanation?
Why?
You have my full contact information. There are many ways
to contact your clients by email and phone. Also, why did you decide to keep my
tracks' hostage for weeks and hold back my 2 years payment for months? Sorry,
but I don’t buy your “technical problem” excuse because you deliberately ignored
all my emails for months!
If you see anything suspicious, contact the artist right away, inform and explain the problem. Treat artists/your clients with kindness and respect. Protect us and don’t “punish” us. You are here to support indie artists and not to insult and discriminate us. Act with humanity and not like you are fighting a war! Indie artists are not your enemies. How come you don’t treat indie artists/your clients like signed artists with a label, management, and law team? Why don’t you show us the same appreciation, kindness, support, and respect?
NO REASON IN THE WORLD gives you and any other
distributor and music store the right to treat indie artists like shit! NOTHING
justifies your awful and unlawful treatment. No Bots, No AI, No company policy!
No terms of use! NOTHING!!!!
When I promote a new release on social media, which I did
on Twitter, Facebook, Facebook Groups, and Instagram, I have ZERO CONTROL over
who sees my posts, stories, and tweets. I also have ZERO CONTROL of who is
listening to my tracks from where and how many times in which store. I use smart
links for every release with all the stores such as Apple, iTunes, YouTube,
Tidal, Deezer and not only Spotify. And every time after a new release, I get
bombarded with DM and Emails regarding promotions from Digital Marketers from
around the world.
From the start, I have BLOCKED digital marketers while
keeping my social profiles public. After your awful and nasty accusations, I
have DELETED my FB account and many more socials to protect myself from more
possible damages by charlatans and false accusations and insults by people like
you. And now I’m even afraid of running promo campaigns on Groover because of
your nasty treatment. I don’t want to experience anything like this ever again
by any other distributor.
As I realize now, you’re all the same. You don’t respect
indie artists! You don’t support indie artists. You don’t care about indie
artists! Not only that, but you don’t give a damn shit about indie artists work and success! Instead
of protecting us, you choose to punish and hassle us as you wish, and you call
it “your policy”. Well, your policy stinks and is disgraceful!
The reality is if indie artists worldwide would strike
and take down all their tracks from one day to another and STOP releasing new
music, many if not all the distributors and music stores would be screwed. YOU
and every single employee would be jobless. Without our talent and hard work,
you are worthless.
Unfortunately, as corrupt, unfair, and shady as the
system is right now, you need artists as much as artists need your service. It’s
a partnership. And partners respect and support each other and don’t discriminate,
insult, and accuse their clients of false allegations.
As you listed, there are plenty of reasons for getting
fake streaming. Corrupt playlist curators, BOT playlists, and digital marketers
can harm any artist at any time and as often from any place at any store as they
wish without the artist’s knowledge!
I have NEVER signed up for your “terms of use” which as I know now, is insulting, accusing, and humiliating indie artists. Your company’s horrible reputation with many other victims/indie artists/clients in online reviews speaks volumes!
I have NEVER broken “your terms of use”. My only huge mistake was to TRUST a distributor who not only doesn’t respect its artists/clients but also gives a damn shit about their hard work, trust, and loyalty.
I
signed as an indie artist and trusted you my tracks, thinking that we are having
a trustworthy and professional partnership. Never in a million years did I
think that two Swedish companies, a distributor, and a music stores such as Spotify
would accuse me of fraud, while I am putting my heart and soul (like all indie
artists do) into music and charity projects about humanity.
With the high quality of production, song message, and hard work behind every single track, I don’t need this BS (AI, BOTS) and your nasty, inexcusable, unprofessional, and inhuman treatment!
We witness daily how our corrupt world is falling apart
because of incapable, incompetent, unqualified idiots and Godless fortune
hunters with zero honesty and transparency and zero moral values ruling our
world as presidents, ministers, and governments. But your actions (distributors
and stores) are beyond stupidity.
You don’t need a high degree to understand that your claims
are baseless. Listen to yourself, blaming and discriminating indie artists for
AI streaming while anyone from anywhere at any time can target and attack us is
a joke! Not a funny joke though!
We have enough war in the world; we don’t need to fight
more war, in an industry where people should find peace, joy, and happiness. People
like you SUCK the happiness out of indie artist’s soul with your awful
accusations and nasty tone and treatment.
This behaviour is unacceptable!Like a devil, you turn motivation,
enthusiasm, excitement, love, and passion into poison. You turn all the light
that music brings into artists' lives into darkness! You turn hopes and desires
into hope- and helplessness. I wish there was a law to punish you all for your
disrespectful, unkind, and heartless treatment. I wish there was a law to
punish you for discriminating hard-working indie artists.
Leaving a loyal client/indie artist who has been working
hard and trusting you with its babies for 2 years completely and helplessly in
the dark for months and only sending an email to say hey, you have no access to
your account any more without explaining WHY is the nastiest and most unprofessional
and disgusting treatment I have ever experienced.
Looking at my streaming numbers and payment statement history
now finally after 2 years, your and Spotify's accusations and awful treatment, and
the hassle that I went through in the previous months was all for only 58
Dollars in 2 years!!! Are you serious? I
don’t know if I should laugh or cry. It is pathetic. You should be ashamed.
Do you have any idea how much time and money indie artist
invest in their work? And for this ridiculous number of streaming and payment, you
decide to CLOSE my artist account while signed artists are making a fortune
with streamings? You do realize that the streaming system as it now stinks like your policy. Who came up with this stupid system in the first place?
WHO WORKS 50 HOURS FOR ONLY $3?
Guess what? Indie Artists!
1000 SPOTIFY STREAMINGS = $3
Standard song duration = 3:00 minutes
3 MIN SONG X 1000 STREAMINGS =
3000 MIN MUSIC: 60 MIN/1 HOUR =
50 HOURS OF ENTERTAINMENT FOR $3!
IT IS TIME TO CHANGE THIS UNFAIR SYSTEM!
At the end of the day, indie artists do music because it
is their passion. And we all know that only a few people in the world are
making a living from music. So the least we expect God damn it is RESPECT! Knowing
this harsh and eye-opening reality, making music is supposed to be fun. It
shouldn’t suck the energy out of me and waste my time for months with all the
consequences that I had to FIX only because of your horrible judgment,
disrespectful, rude, and unacceptable policy after two years of “partnership”.
No indie artist in the world should tolerate distributors
and music stores' rude, unkind, and inhuman “punishment”. Respect, humanity,
and kindness are the keys to success. Accusing, insulting, humiliating, and
ignoring messages from your artist after 2 years is wrong and unprofessional.
I hope my experience and online petition #RespectIndieArtistsWork
is a lesson for your company and other rude and corrupt distributors and music
stores to treat indie artists like human beings and not criminals! ¨
No distributor and music store should have the audacity to insult, accuse its clients and treat them like shit! Companies with ZERO respect, caring, and support for their clients should be shot down immediately.
How should any indie artist ever trust distribution
companies and music stores under these challenging, unfair, and shady conditions?
There is zero transparency, fairness, honesty, support, and protection from
your side!
Mark
my words: As the music industry is treating indie artists today, it is only a
matter of time, until your corrupt system falls apart and Karma will hit you
back!
As I said before, everything happens for a reason. I'm glad that I'm no longer associated with an unprofessional and discriminating company like yours with no moral values!
And finally, this is my personal message to your Chief
Executive Officer Roshanak Lina Motman: “Khanoome Roshanake mohtaram, mamlekate ma, watane ma be Kesafat keschide schod bekhatere na mardi, bi khodaie, tohmat wa doroughaye amsale schoma ke nemidoni ensaniat wa mardomdari tschie. Khianat be hamwatan mikoni? Baraye hamine ke mamlekate ma be in rooze siah oftade! Khoda khodesch schahede. Akharesh bayad jawabguye khoda baschi. Pule haram, pule dardo waram mische. Zerangie ziad jawunmargi miare. Jujaro akhare paiz mischmoran. Moafagh baschi! “
The lack of respect and the lack of support by music distributors is as shameful and shocking as the UK Post Office scandal! Only the UK Post Office scandal is a national problem. The music industries awful and unlawful treatment with indie artists is a global issue.
Distributors and music stores have the audacity to insult and humiliate indie artist because they know they get away with their BS. They would never treat a signed artist with label, management and law team like they treat indie artists.
Distributors are supposed to protect artists work and not punish indie-artists! Well, my recent experience with this company was eye-opening! And I'm sharing it publicly, because I know that I'm only one of many victims of a fraud industry dominated by a corrupt fortune hunters!
Received 23. April 2024 from support@amuse.io
Harriet from amuse
Hi Lily,
Thanks for your email
and reply.
I'm sorry you have had a
negative experience with Amuse and feel as though we are not acting in the best
interests of our artists. I can assure you that we work hard to ensure our
artists receive fair treatment.
However, we also work
closely with the stores. We have a duty to protect and maintain their standards
and work within their guidelines.
As you may be aware,
Spotify especially take fraudulent streaming very seriously, and have
started fining distributors for tracks that receive a certain level of
artificial streaming. All distributors are reacting to this by cracking down on
signs of streaming fraud, both to maintain the integrity of the artists they
work with, and to support Spotify in their endeavours to tackle the issue.
Each distributor
(including Amuse) has their own way of analysing streaming data and processes
to handle artificial streaming. We are provided a certain amount of information
and data from Spotify, however, the more information that Spotify (and indeed
distributors) provide to artists about how streamfarming is handled, the less
possible it is to reduce it, let alone combat it altogether.
Therefore, as a rule, we
do not provide much detail. Our terms of use also dictate that we're able to
close down accounts when we suspect streaming fraud. Amuse has acted a) in
compliance with our terms of use (which you agreed to upon signing up) and b)
as we would with any artist who we deem to have broken the terms of use.
I will also point out
that streamfarming doesn't necessarily mean you bought streams. Unfortunately,
there are plenty of companies out there who will masquerade as genuine
promotional companies who engage in forbidden methods to increase results.
It can also be as simple
as being added to a playlist without your knowledge.
Whilst our policy is to
deactivate users automatically once they have reached a certain threshold (and
meet several other criteria that I cannot divulge), we do have a warning policy
in place. In your specific case, activities on your releases met several of the
criteria that allowed for immediate deactivation.
Whilst, as mentioned, I
cannot detail those criteria, what I can provide you with the following
information, all of which is available to you, either through Spotify for
Artists or your Amuse statement (attached). Hopefully this will allow you to
handle such issues pro-actively moving forwards.
1.A portion of your
streams have been withheld by Spotify from 2022 - 2024. Spotify reports all
streams (including withheld) in Spotify for Artists, and you can deduct the
number of streams you were paid for (as per your Amuse statement, attached)
from the total number of streams in S4A to find out how many. This was not
enough of a trigger on its own, but forms part of the overall picture. This is
not something we would pro-actively contact you about until certain triggers
are reached.
2.In early 2024, there was
an extreme spike in your streams, from 0-20 per day to over 16k per day. This
sort of spike is consistent with streamfarming, as we have found that increases
due to genuine promotional campaigns to have a slower, more consistent increase
before a significant jump.
3.According to our system,
there was also a significant amount of streams per listener during the same
time period. Our systems indicated around 3k streams per listener, which is
again consistent with bot streaming.
4.Your releases were added
to playlists without names, which generally indicates bot activity.
You mentioned you have
worked with Groover. Generally, we would expect our artists to have been fully
briefed on the marketing activity around their releases when working with a
promotional company, and more importantly question any unexpected spikes, and act
quickly to remove their music from any playlists or marketing activity they
deem suspicious.
As I mentioned, we will
always try and provide a warning where possible. However, in order to maintain
the agreement we have with the stores to handle streamfarming, we have to draw
the line somewhere. With such significant spikes, the activity on your releases
was enough for us to act more strictly.
That being said, we
clearly did make a mistake in not taking your releases down - this was a
technical issue which I would like to apologise for once again. It is therefore
completely fair and reasonable for Amuse to allow you to withdraw the royalties
on your account, so I will arrange for your access to be reinstated giving you
the ability to withdraw your royalties ASAP. I should have arranged this when
we took down your releases, so for this, I also apologise. Please note this is
on a non-precedential basis, as we clearly made an error.
Ever since my awful and eye-opening experience with my previous corrupt music distributor AMUSE, I’m making massive changes to my online appearance, distribution channels and social media profiles.
You NO longer find me and my work (books, e-books, music, art and merchandising) on Smashwords, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, OverDrive, Everand, Gardners, Baker & Taylor and many more stores.
I have deleted my Facebook, Pinterest, Gettr, Red Bubble, SoundCloud and Audiomack account and unpublished ALL my audiobooks from stores and libraries in 100 countries. More book & music stores will be removed in the upcoming weeks! I have unpublished over 60 e-books and 6 audiobooks from over 38 audiobook stores, including Spotify!
My lovely stories are now ONLY available on LilyAmisBooks.Bandcamp.com. I have released my first audiobook “Teddy & Lily” and “Bon Voyage” back in 2017. Both stories were narrated by professional voice-overs. In 2022 and 2023 I have released my audiobooks “Lilys Ambassadors” and “Lilys Botschafter”. Again with two professional narrators. Seven years later, I haven’t even made a profit of 5% of the invested money in four productions. This is nonsense and no more acceptable! My hard work deserves more than this!
I’m also trying to MINIMIZE the damages that can be done to me as an indie-writer and indie-lyricist by downsizing my online presence. The great thing about it is that I will save a lot of time and energy in the future!
For now, my books in print are ONLY available on Amazon.
My album “Legacy4Humanity” is ONLY available on LilyAmis.Bandcamp.com. It includes 13 tracks in different genres, from Soul, R&B, to Pop and Rap. There is one beautiful bonus track on the album, which will be released as a single later this year ONLY on Bandcamp.com and on NO streaming store.
For now 13 tracks are still available in selected streaming stores but will be taken down in the upcoming weeks from stores such as Apple, iTunes and Amazon.
I no longer play this nasty game and trust distributors and streaming services. It is absolute none-sense!
Sign & Support
the #RespectIndieArtistsWork online petition!
Indie Artists and indie music lovers, your support matters
now more than ever!
My awful and unlawful experience with my music distributor
made me start the online petition #RespectIndieArtistsWork. The disrespectful
treatment and tone remind me a lot of the National Post Office scandal in the
United Kingdom. Only this is a global issue!
Just look at the location of the people who have signed the
petition so far. Indie artists are everywhere and according to statistics,
100,000 tracks are released daily. Yes, you read it right: DAILY! Now imagine
how much the distributors and stores keep when they withhold royalties of
artists whom they accuse and blame for using AI, while ANYONE out there can
place their music in BOT playlists without the artist's knowledge. Indie
artists end up being THE potential fraudsters and have to tolerate the
punishment and humiliation. This is unfair and unacceptable!
What is also unacceptable is the fact, that these companies
know very well that indie artists without a label, management, and law team
can’t do anything about it. According to my research, there is not even an organization
to hold these companies accountable for their unlawful, disrespectful and
discriminating actions!
It is just a matter of time until more artists speak out.
Indie artists need more transparency and fairness to be able to continue their
journey!
If you agree, please sign, support, and share the petition!
We had the pleasure of catching up with the talented Lily Amis, whose latest album "Legacy4Humanity" signs an important new chapter in her music career.
With a diverse range of genres and powerful messages woven into her music, enriched with the collaboration with talented artist Thir13een, Lily’s songs resonate deeply with listeners around the world. In addition to discussing her latest releases and the inspiration behind her music, Lily also sheds light on her advocacy for indie artists through her #RespectIndieArtistsWork petition.
Join us as we dive into Lily’s musical journey, her passion for creating meaningful art, and her mission to empower independent musicians everywhere.
Hello Lily, and
thank you for taking the time for this interview! I would like to start by
saying congratulations on the release of your latest album,
"Legacy4Humanity"! Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the
album and what listeners can expect from it?
Thank
you so much for having me and thank you, the release means a lot. It’s been a
while since we had a chat. So much has happened since my last interview about my song release “The Stolen Years” back in
summer 2022.
“Legacy4Humanity”
is a collection of 13 songs written and sung from the heart. Never in a million
years, did I think that I would one day have an entire album with my song
lyrics. It all started with my heartbreaking song “80 Million People”. In
spring 2022, I was raising awareness about the plight of refugees worldwide and
using my voice for better rights regarding education and integration with my
online petition #HumantiyB4Nationality.
In the
recent two years, I used the power of lyrics and the miracle of music with the
angelic voice of my feat. artist Thri13een aka Warren Young to spread awareness
about more delicate topics such as racism and discrimination with my rap track
“Blood is always Red” or hunger and homelessness with the soulful track “Tasteless
Breakfast” and for people living with disability with my “My Vision”.
People
can expect 13 great tracks about social issues with meaningful and inspiring lyrics,
beautiful melody, uplifting beats and an angelic voice.
Your album features
a diverse range of genres, including Soul, R&B, Pop, and Rap. How did you
approach blending these different styles together, and what message were you
aiming to convey through your music?
Yes, it
does. I am blessed and privileged to collaborate with an exceptionally, insanely
talented producer, singer-songwriter, and vocalist who is not only able to
produce but also to sing all kinds of genres. He is like an octopus and my
angel of music. Together we are the voice for the voiceless and as you
correctly say each track has a message.
“80
Million People” set the tone for our
partnership, grounded in deep empathy and a desire to make a difference through
music and lyrics. Now, two years later, I have an entire album which I’m very
proud of. Every single track is precious like a baby. The album is a treasure
filled with love, emotion, and devotion. As the album name says it is my legacy
for humanity.
Your recent singles
"Ping Pong & Puzzle," "HomeTown," and
"Bowling" are three great tracks that show your artistic maturity and
creativity. Can you share the story behind these songs and what they mean to
you personally?
Honestly, I’m obsessed with “Ping Pong & Puzzle”.
It has become my daily booster track. Whenever I feel down, depressed, upset,
or angry I listen to this uplifting pop song and it reminds me that NO ONE and NOTHING
is worth the pain and sorrow. We have to let go of toxic people and painful
memories and appreciate the ones who have let us down and made us stronger.
As I say in the lyrics, “Those who are meant to be in your life stay in your life”. This
song is primarily dedicated to my selfish and thoughtless father (and all the
selfish, irresponsible, and heartless husbands and fathers out there). He left
us when I was only five years old not to be seen ever again. It is also
dedicated to family members, relatives, and “friends” to whom we are forgotten
before we are even gone.
“HomeTown” is the most personal song next to “The
Stolen Years”, “The Three of Us” and “SIMA”. Every line speaks for itself. For
the first time, I also used the German language because I feel that many
people, especially those living in the German part of Europe feel my deep
desire for a HomeTown.
As I say in the lyrics “See myself living in a magical
Hallmark movie, all year round in a magical town, a magical place, where
neighbors don’t live past each other but together looking after one another,
like in a heartwarming fairytale where traditions still matter!”
Only the foreigners who live in Germany, Austria, and
Switzerland understand what I mean. When you visit these countries as a tourist
they are gorgeous but living with narrow-minded people who belittle and
discriminate refugees and foreigners - like slaves were terribly treated in the
past - is emotionally exhausting. I think Germany and Austria’s dark history and
inhumanity speak for themselves. I don’t have to say more. It is heartbreaking
to say, that not much has changed in almost eighty years. People are still
suffering and struggling to survive the inhumanity and injustice in today’s
society. As I always say, once a refugee, always a refugee. Once a foreigner,
always a foreigner!
“Bowling” is the follow-up track to “YoYo & Chess”
and “Ping Pong & Puzzle”. By the way, I don’t play any of these games! LOL,
but games are a good example of how people toy with people. The Bowling ball
symbolizes the bombs in war that destroy countries and kill people. The ten pins
standing and looking at the bowling ball rolling towards them symbolize our
incapable world leaders who wait, watch, and don’t stop the bloody wars and
madness because they are making a fortune!
The track is not only an anti-war but also an anti-mainstream
media song. We are brainwashed with lies and nonsense, the so-called “Breaking
News” daily. And we must protect our peace of mind now more than ever. I’m
happy that I was able to include my grandfather’s wise words in the lyrics as I
have quoted my grandmother's great advice in “Ping Pong & Puzzle” to fight
depression and heartbreak.
I understand
there's a bonus track on the album called "Secret Angels," which you
plan to release as a single later this year on Bandcamp. What can you tell us
about this track and why you chose to include it as a bonus?
Yes, there is. I wasn’t planning on releasing a bonus
track. After a while, it was clear to me that if I was gone continue my
collaboration with Thir13een aka Warren Young, I had to release an album with
13 tracks. Why 13? Not only because of my feat. artist's name Thir13een, but
because 13 is my lucky number. In my country's calendar, I was born on the 13th
and the year of my birth starts with 13.
The
bonus track “Secret Angels” is inspired simply by Kindness. Nine hardworking humans,
working in a little grocery shop around the corner that we visit weekly for
twenty years. The staff is always very friendly, polite, kind and welcoming.
This
beautiful track is a reminder that we all have helpful angels around us daily,
but they never get any recognition or acknowledgment for their hard and usually
underpaid jobs. People working in retail, public working sectors & Co
shouldn’t be taken for granted.
“Secret
Angels” is dedicated to all the daily heroes near and far who take care of our
well-being and daily needs, without us knowing them and them knowing us
personally.
My mum and
I will reward Secret Angels around us with a personalized Lily4Humanity Award &
Certificate starting this summer with the nine Secret Angels/the grocery shop staff
around the corner, who have inspired me to write the lyrics.
Alongside your
music, you've also launched an online petition called #RespectIndieArtistsWork.
Can you tell us more about it and the goals you hope to achieve with it?
Raising awareness and changing the corrupt
distribution system is my main goal with this petition on gopetition.com. It’s
kind of ironic, my journey as an indie-lyricist started with an online petition
#HumanityB4Nationality for better rights for refugees.
Now, two years later I’m promoting my album Legacy4Humanity
at the same time as a new online petition. Trust me, this wasn’t planned and I
wish I didn’t have to go through this awful and unlawful experience.
The previous two months were a wake-up call and
eye-opening. Everything in life happens for a reason though and I don’t want
any other indie-Artist to make the same nasty experience.
Only three days before my 12th track “HomeTown”
was released my former distributor amuse.io, a Swedish company based in
Stockholm closed my artist account, denied access to my 13 tracks, and kept my
royalties. Monthly payments for two years that I was collecting to donate to
two charities: The Christoffel Blind Mission (in Switzerland) and Smile Train (in
the UK) are gone!
Amuse.io ignored my emails and left me in the dark
for more than an entire month. I had no clue what happened and why. To this
date, I still don’t know why they had the audacity to treat me like a criminal.
I explain everything on the petition page.
I’m still speechless about the disrespectful treatment.
So I went to the Swiss Police to report the Swedish distributor and fight for
the charity's donation. Unfortunately, they told me, that the process is not promising
at all considering the high number of cybercrimes the Police have to fight daily.
The best solution would be to travel to Stockholm and file a police report in
the country at a Swedish police station.
And that’s when and why I decided to raise my voice
and fight this corrupt system as it is right now. In my last petition, I used
my voice for the voiceless refugees. This time my goal is to raise my voice for
ALL the incredible hardworking indie-Artists who put their heart and soul, love, time, energy, money, and hope into their
passion.
I chose the name “Respect Indie-Artists Work” and
not “Respect Indie Artists Music”, because people forget how much work is
behind every music release. Artists without a label, management, PR, and legal
team, have to do everything along the media and social media promotion and gigs.
It is a full-time job with no payment in return!
Even cleaners make more income an hour than artists do! I would go so far and even
say factory employees working in the most horrific and inhuman working conditions
in India and Turkey make more money than indie-Artists do. This is the harsh
reality!
Today a petition supporter who is a well-established
music producer with a high number of followers and streaming throughout all platforms,
wrote me these lines, which touched my heart. “I understand that I never will get back the time and money I spend on
music, in return you have almost nothing, but I love to make music, you can
compare it with bringing water to the open sea with other words who cares.”
This statement sums it all! Indie-Artists don’t do
music for fame and fortune, but because they love what they do. So the least indie-Artists
can expect from “partners” such as distributors and music stores is RESPECT and
everything else that I demand in my online petition.
How do you believe
the music industry can better support and uplift independent artists like
yourself, especially in terms of transparency and fair treatment?
Honestly, the way the industry is treating indie-Artists
right now; is everything but uplifting and supportive. It’s the exact opposite.
It is disgraceful. I’m shocked, disgusted, and disappointed to witness how
disrespectful, unfair, and unkind the distribution companies and music stores discriminate
and communicate with indie-Artists.
In my personal opinion, the whole streaming concept
is wrong. As an indie-Artist, you only get paid across all platforms, when a stream is played for
at least 30 seconds and the royalty rate for streaming is about 6 cents per 100
streams. You make the calculation! This is ridiculous. People pay for fast food,
cigarettes, and alcohol. Why shouldn’t music lovers pay for music, a product
that is not poisoning but healing their mind, body, and soul?
Indie-Artists invest time and money in production
and promotion; it takes decades until/if they ever see any profit at all! So the least we can expect from so-called “partners”
is RESPECT! Be a team player and don’t
insult, accuse, and discriminate indie-Artists, just because they don’t have a
label or management. Indie-Artists should be treated as professional and
respectful as signed artists.
The way I see it, the streaming system is as corrupt
as the Post Office scandal in the United Kingdom. Only this is a national
scandal. The corruption in the music industry and the awful treatment of indie
artists is a global scandal! Nothing about it is fair and transparent.
The three
major labels in today's industry Universal Music Group, Sony Music
Entertainment, and Warner Music Group, 35+ distributors worldwide, and 8+ music stores such
as Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Amazon, etc. are dominating the music/streaming
industry. According to my research to this date, there is NO Organization to
hold accountable when indie-Artists are treated like a criminal, while ANYONE
out there can add music to playlists that might be AI-generated without the
artist’s knowledge!
The moment when indie-Artists release a track
through one of these many distributors, the artist/THE copyright holder trusts
its baby blindly and in good faith into “fortune hunters” hands not having any control,
say, and transparency at all!
So tell me in what world is it allowed to treat
innocent indie-Artists like criminals? In what world is it OK to punish,
insult, and humiliate indie-Artists with false accusations and get away with
it? And above all, have the audacity to keep the artist's royalties? In my case
to steal money that was meant to be donated to the Christoffel Blind Mission
and Smile Train for life-changing surgeries!
But as I say in my
song lyrics in Bowling: “Mighty hungry
fortune hunters, Breaking News: Surprise, surprise, No one lives forever, No
money in this world is gone last forever, Filling your bank
accounts with filthy money only creates misery for your soul destiny!”
The music industry
is becoming every day a harder territory for independent artists. What advice
would you give to those young artists making the first steps into this world?
This is a hard question to answer as the system is
right now. If you are a fame and fortune hunter, stay away! Because you neither
get the fame (that you deserve) nor the fortune (that you deserve)!
But if you are writing and producing music with
other goals like me whose main goal is to raise and spread awareness about
social issues, or you simply want to entertain music lovers, nothing is holding
you back.
Be careful though with the platform you choose and
don’t fall for celebrity names as references like I did with amuse.io. I only
and mainly chose this company because of the American artist Will.I.Am who I
respect and think is trustworthy. This was a huge mistake.
Today I would only choose a distributor to release
my music on social media (Instagram, TikTok, etc.) and a site like Bandcamp or
SoundCloud to upload my tracks and have full control over the price, takedowns,
and any other changes as I wish when I wish, like cover change, new audio file,
etc. I have full control and no one else! This way no one can insult me and
hold my babies as hostage!
Despite the
challenges, what keeps you motivated and inspired to continue creating music as
an independent artist?
My main
goal as an indie lyricist from the start was never fame and fortune. I began my
journey as an indie-Writer ten years ago and my journey as an indie-lyricist
two years ago. If money was my main and only motivation, I should have stopped
after my first book and song release.
Therefore
this corrupt streaming system as it is right now won’t stop me from continuing
my journey. It also won’t take away my joy in writing, illustrating, and
publishing books and my love for songwriting and releasing songs. Music is
healing and the best medicine for the soul. I’m now more motivated than ever to
use my voice/lyrics! The voice is Thir13een! I leave it to the pro! LOL.
Your album
"Legacy4Humanity" is now available on Bandcamp. What significance
does this platform hold for you as an artist, and how do you feel it empowers
independent musicians?
When I
had no access to my tracks for over a month and no say in taking them down from
all the music stores, I realized how naïve, clueless, and helpless we are as
indie-Artists and it wasn’t a good feeling. It’s like giving away your baby to
a babysitter and they treat your precious child as they wish and keep your baby
hostage! This is criminal and should have consequences!
Thankfully
a music journalist who was writing an article about “HomeTown” advised me to
upload my tracks on Bancamp.com until the mess caused by Amuse.io was solved,
which I immediately did. And to be honest, I’m seriously considering taking
down all my tracks from streaming platforms and only making them available on
Bandcamp. This is also a reason, why I’m not releasing “Secret Angels” yet!
The
best thing about Bandcamp is having FULL CONTROL and SAY over my work!
Can you share any
memorable moments or experiences you've had while working on the album, whether
in the studio or during the creative process?
Awww,
every song production is like giving birth to a new baby and is a memorable
moment, especially when I hear the finished song for the first time. It is
exciting and magical. Warren Young never fails to impress me with his God-given
gift. Like a magician, he turns my lyrics into a masterpiece, every time!
The
writing process for every song was different. Some of the tracks took me longer
than others. I still remember how I
cried tears of joy when I heard “The Stolen Years” with my voice on it. A childhood
dream came true.
“HomeTown”
was written in one morning and recorded within days. Warren sang my lyrics
completely differently than all other songs. You feel my pain and deep desire in
his voice which brought me to tears as well.
But he
also made me emotional and teary when he sang my grandmother and grandfather's quotes
in “Ping Pong & Puzzle” and “Bowling”. I wish they would be still with us
and could listen to Warren's angelic performance and dance with us.
Other
songs make me dance in my living room and kitchen with my mum Sima. We dance to
SIMA, the Miracle of Music, YoYo & Chess, Ping Pong & Puzzle, and
Bowling. These are my favorite memorable moments. The joy that the songs bring
into our home is precious and priceless. The little girl in me who cherishes music
from a young age is beyond thrilled, excited, and grateful for the opportunity
to collaborate with a shining star like Thir13een.
As an artist who
values authenticity and creativity, do you think the advent of AI in music will
damage creatives and traditional musicians?
Definitely!
AI is destroying many creative fields not only the music industry. Also, people
have started using AI as an excuse for everything that goes wrong like they now
do with fake streaming generated by AI (BOTS).
When
you can’t have a real person supporting your needs, answering and solving your
problems on different platforms you know that you are in big trouble. This new
technology is the beginning of a nightmare and is the end of humanity!
What are your plans
for the future?
Right now, I’m working on a new book project. The
life story of the founder of the Christoffel
Blind Mission has inspired me to write a book about living a legacy like
he has. Mister Ernst Christoffel faced many difficulties and obstacles in his
life, but he always knew and felt that he had a mission and continued his
journey during World War II and became the father of the Blind, Deaf-Mute, and Orphans after more
than 50 years of missionary work.
Today
the charity in his name is located in several countries and they are doing
life-changing surgeries. This shows that we all can make a difference in
people’s lives and that fame and fortune should never be the motivation but
humanity!
Lily, it was such a
pleasure having you with us today. Is there anything else you would like to say
to our readers and your fans?
It
was a pleasure chatting with you. Thank you for giving me the chance to promote
my music and use my voice for the indie-Artist community with my online
petition!
I
would like to thank everyone who is listening to my tracks. If you enjoy
meaningful lyrics, professional production, and an angelic voice, please download
the “Legacy4Humanity album” and help me collect donations for the Lily4Humanity
charities that I support. Thank you so much.
Fellow
artists and indie-music lovers fight for your rights. Demanding Respect for
your hard work is the least we can expect from distributors and music stores.
Please
sign and share the petition #RespectIndieArtistsWork at gopetiton.com Let's
support each other. Together we are stronger than this corrupt system! Your
voice matters now more than ever!
![](<center> <a href="https://lilyamis.bandcamp.com" target="_blank"><img src="../lilyamismusic/images2024/legacy4humanity.jpg" width="475" height="475" border=1></a><br> <iframe style="border: 0; width: 80%; height: 472px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=997770221/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/artwork=none/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="https://lilyamis.bandcamp.com/album/legacy4humanity">Legacy4Humanity by Lily Amis feat.Thir13een</a></iframe> </center>)
