DJ Felix Jaehn has criticized the powerful influence of management and record labels on his musical career, expressing a strong desire for greater artistic freedom. According to statements given to the “Tagesspiegel”, Jaehn revealed that he had written several deeply melancholic tracks, but his label and management subsequently convinced him not to release them, insisting they did not align with the current project framework. Looking forward, Jaehn refuses to allow such decisions to be dictated to him and is in the process of reorganizing his team. He remarked that “the music industry is a bad cliché; most of what people think about the industry is accurate.”
Jaehn also specifically addressed the growing impact of social media within the industry. He pointed out that artists are now expected to maintain an active presence on platforms. Because of this pressure, he observes that if a song fails to gain traction online, labels are often reluctant to invest further money into it. Furthermore, the required output on social media usually demand that the artist showcase their personal appearance. Jaehn views this as an extra requirement for musicians, who must not only create music but also constantly be public figures.
He concluded by reflecting on his journey, stating that the youthful dream he once held had become a “nightmare” because he was forced to fight battles against the industry itself. He added that, moving forward, the original dream is being reclaimed.
