"I've really built up a community ... it feels like I know the people I'm delivering this record to. It's shown up in the metrics; we just sold a U.K. run out in under a minute, sold out the f- New York show in pre-sale. ... I've never done that before. To be honest, it's kind of emotional for me, seeing that they haven't forgotten me."
"It feels scary to go independent, but here we are. Just trying to break free of the algorithm gods gatekeeping art."
"I think what makes a good rollout is the right songs get the love they deserve."
James Blake approaches his album rollout with confidence, having built a dedicated community that demonstrates strong engagement through sold-out shows and rapid ticket sales. He views successful rollouts as ensuring deserving songs receive proper attention. After over a decade with major labels that prioritized financial expectations over artistic expression, Blake transitioned to independence in April 2024, signing with L.A.-based Good Boy Records. This move represents his effort to escape algorithmic constraints on artistic gatekeeping. The new album 'Trying Times' marks a return to form for the artist who emerged in 2009 and achieved Grammy recognition for his 2018 collaboration on 'King's Dead' from the Black Panther soundtrack.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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