Jun 02, 2016
Yesterday, electronic artist Popeska announced in an open letter to fans that he will be returning to music after almost 2 years of inactivity. The Atlanta producer took the opportunity to explain his reasoning for taking a step back from the industry and ended it with an exciting announcement for fans seeking new material.
He begins the letter by talking about his mentality when he decided to withdraw indefinitely from the industry, and the excitement he felt upon first pursuing music full time.
"Has there ever been a time in your life when you’ve just been like 'i'm done with all of this?' That happened to me about 2 years ago. Going into the music business as a full time thing is a super crazy decision on a lot of levels, and I was really happy about it for some time."
He goes on to elucidate the circumstances under which he made his decision, citing the expectation to produce marketable tracks and lack of creative freedom as two of the biggest factors. As the EDM industry exploded, he experienced pressure from his team to conform to current trends rather than allowing him to experiment and produce an individual, honest sound.
"Fast forward a couple years later and very few people are experimenting any more and it’s all about marketing and everyone is chasing the flavor of the month and dance music was more or less dead to me...people are in the music business to make money, it’s music BUSINESS after all. But I was in it to make the music that I loved. So I said 'I'm done with all of this.'"
He states: "I’ve made hundreds of songs over the years that never saw the light of day because of the superficial aspects of the music industry and just the general attitude of the people that work in it." Exemplifying the emphasis placed on commercialism and the opposition he faced.
This is definitely not a new phenomenon in the music business, but rather than sacrificing his personal integrity for monetary gain or leaving the industry altogether, he took time off to reevaluate his involvement and devise a new strategy. According to the producer, he completed a university degree and began working with people with a similar musical vision to him. He seems reinvigorated by this new approach, and describes his philosophy on the matter:
"I would 10000% rather be quiet for 2 years than ever put out a single track that is not representative of me...from now on me and my friends are gonna do things our way, motivated solely by the love of art."
His commitment to personal values is impressive and commendable, and hopefully serves as an example to fellow artists and industry members alike. He closes with a message to fans and teases a potential release date this coming Monday.
"I know I’ve been quiet but that’s going to change. I’m gonna give you music for no other reason than the fact that I love it and I love you and I want you to hear it. It all begins on June 6th."
According to a representative of the artist, Popeska has been working on a lot of new music, and will be gradually releasing a number of new tracks in the next coming months. Read the full letter and follow him on Twitter and Facebook to get the latest updates on his upcoming releases.
Image Source: Popeska Rep