"Stinginess is cool" is a popular advertising slogan that also applies to music. The American Santigold (39) criticizes this and names her album "99¢" out of spite. She comes to Zurich's X-tra on June 14.
Insider tip Santigold on tour
Although Santigold is considered more of an insider tip, she has already toured with very big names. She has opened concerts for Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kanye West, Björk and Jay Z. She is still associated with the latter today - she is signed to his label Roc Nation. Santigold, who performed under the name Santogold until 2009 but had to change it due to a legal dispute, has been on her "We Buy Gold" tour since March and is also bringing her electronic-inspired pop to Switzerland.
Music is worthless, you might think. It's child's play to download music from the internet for free. People are not prepared to spend a lot of money on music. Santigold, whose real name is Santi White, has also recognized this. And she criticizes this development.
"The artist has to turn himself into a product"
The cover of her new album is reminiscent of a sell-out: Santigold lies wrapped in cling film like a piece of meat amidst objects from her everyday life. The title of the album is provocative: "99¢". Of course, the album doesn't just cost that little, the title is an allusion to the sell-out of music. "These are sad times for real artists, for real musicians," says the Brooklyn-based singer to Rolling Stone magazine.
They are forced to sell themselves via social media and can no longer make a living from selling music. Instead, Santigold now has to make compromises in her work. "Artists today have to turn themselves into a product - for example, I play a lot of corporate gigs, i.e. concerts for companies and wealthy private individuals," she says. Although it is fundamentally different from public concerts, it is also a nice way to transport your own music.
Santigold criticizes social media
When the American artist stops off in Zurich, her latest single "Can't Get Enough of Myself" will not be missing. It is about the compulsion to present oneself on social media. In keeping with this, an interactive music video was created in which the viewer becomes part of the clip themselves via webcam. This allows everyone to feel as exposed as musicians are these days.
SANTIGOLD
14.06.16, X-TRA ZURICH
TICKETS
