Tiki Taane on his decision to leave Spotify - 'a platform that goes against everything I sing about'
In the new track 'Bye Bye Spotify', New Zealand musician Tiki Taane belts out a bitter send-off to the streaming platform he removed his songs from this week.
"You take my songs and turn them into bombs … I’m gonna set my music free," sings Tiki Taane in 'Bye Bye Spotify'. This week, the Papamoa-based musician became the most high-profile of a growing number of NZ artists removing their songs from the streaming platform.
Taane says he got the confidence to make the move after reading Liz Pelly's "amazing" book Mood Machine, but the "tipping point" was Spotify's chief executive Daniel Ek's revelation this June that he'd invested millions of dollars in the German AI defence company Helsing.
"I've been singing songs about the system and standing up for your rights and liberation for so long, but here I am on a platform that goes against everything I sing about, so it was conflicting", he tells Music 101.
'Bye Bye Spotify' is fun and tongue-in-cheek, but also "a little finger up to the system," Taane says.
"I was like, I could either go quietly or I could make a noise about it. I thought the best way to do it was to exploit the platform that exploits me."
This isn't Taane's "first rodeo" when it comes to writing protest songs, he points out, and in the past, the outcomes have been positive.
"There might be a little backlash here and there, but when you speak your truth, and it's coming from a place of education and intent, then you're going to be safe."
Taane says his decision is not "an FU" to other artists still on Spotify.
"It's not our fault as musicians and artists. It's not your fault as a consumer. It's the system. It's Spotify, and the corruptness and the rottenness of Spotify that put us into the situation.
"Shout out to all of the musicians and artists who said no in the first place, who never put the music on Spotify, and all those amazing artists that left Spotify many, many years ago, who helped pave the way for people like me. I've got to acknowledge those incredible people, too."
Tiki Taane performing at the 2023 Bay of Islands Food and Wine Festival.
RNZ / Peter de Graaf
On a financial level, Taane says he'll "be okay" without Spotify earnings, which were only around one-fifth of his music income.
His most popular song, ‘Always on My Mind', for example, earned the musician around $57,000 - after tax - in the 13 years it was on the streaming platform - "What's that? Four grand a year?"
Taane apologises to his hardcore fans for taking his music off the popular platform, but says the move comes after years of preparation.
"For me, it's just about doing what I feel is right, and I've been conflicted with this for so many years. I'm trying to think of other ways to get my music out there and give it to the fans directly, instead of relying on some sort of third-party app.
"It's just taken me this long to educate myself and get everything ready, because at the end of the day, when you leave Spotify, there's a vacuum... I wanted to make sure that the vacuum is filled with other platforms, other income streams, and I was ready to stand up against the system."
Tiki Taane with Music 101 host Kara Rickard.
Tony Stamp
To other artists who are "really against" Spotify and what it has come to represent, he recommends removing their music and going "cold turkey".
"Take it off and make us think about it. Make a noise. You've got to let your fans and your followers know what's going on so you can pull them over.
"It's fun, don't be afraid of it. It's super exciting to do this, and you feel liberated when it feels right. It empowers you to look for other options. You can look at other streaming platforms that are doing great things. There's so many out there."
Tiki Taane performing at Electric Avenue in 2024.
Electric Avenue / Team Event
With many artists getting 95 percent of their income from Spotify, Taane is well aware that not every musician is in a position to follow his lead.
"I'd suggest probably not taking your music off just yet, hang in there and try to build up other platforms and other areas of income.
"If you can, keep your music on Spotify, but in some way channel those listeners and fans to other platforms that align better with you and your wairua [spirit].
"You could just [share] like a little bit of a song and go 'Hey guys, if you want to support me, come to my website or go to my Bandcamp. You could use Spotify as an advertisement platform so that people can go to other platforms, as well. That's one way of doing it."
You can find all things Tiki Taane at tikidub.com
