Sam Fender describes music trade as “rigged” and “90 per cent children who’re privately educated”

Sam Fender has hit out on the present state of the music trade, describing it as “rigged” with “90 per cent children who’re privately educated”.

• READ MORE: Sam Fender – ‘Individuals Watching’ assessment: reflective and perceptive indie rock from North Shields’ shining star

Talking in a brand new interview with The Sunday Times the singer-songwriter additionally mentioned he feels responsible that his life has modified after making it within the music trade regardless of being from a working class background in North Shields whereas his pals nonetheless battle “on the bones of their arse”.

He mentioned: “The music trade is 80 per cent, 90 per cent children who’re privately educated. A child from the place I’m from can’t afford to tour, so there are most likely hundreds writing songs which might be ten occasions higher than mine, poignant lyrics in regards to the nation, however they won’t be seen as a result of it’s rigged.”

Referring to the track from ‘TV Dinner’ from his newest album ‘Individuals Watching‘ which was launched on Friday (February 21), he additionally criticised the trade for “constructing” artists up “to knock ’em down.”

He mentioned: “It was wild. I wrote that, then Liam Payne died. You consider the quantity of occasions he was getting dragged by means of the press and he didn’t assist himself, did he? Bless him. I bear in mind watching some movies he was in and being, like, ‘God, what a tit.’ However the actuality was that he was only a younger lad, well-known far too younger, who had habit bother – and everybody hit him with the pitchforks.”

When requested in regards to the lyric “You’ll promote me / You’ll kill me”, if Fender was speaking about himself, he mentioned: “Completely. It’s reminding me that I don’t should be beneath the thumb. On the finish of the day, if I need to cease I’ll cease.”

Elsewhere, he additionally spoke in regards to the the distinction between individuals who take medication at music trade events and pals who take them up north.

“Properly, I’ve seen that my drug addict pals who’re posh go to rehab, however my mates with points up there simply die,” he mentioned.

Fender continued: “Persons are very unaware. We’re superb at speaking about privileges – white, male or straight privilege. We hardly ever speak about class, although. And that’s a whole lot of the rationale that every one the younger lads are seduced by demagogues like Andrew Tate.

“They’re being shamed on a regular basis and made to really feel like they’re an issue. It’s this narrative being instructed to white boys from nowhere cities. Individuals preach to some child in a pit city in Durham who’s acquired fuck all and inform him he’s privileged? Then Tate tells him he’s price one thing? It’s seductive.”

Reviewing his current album, NME awarded it 4 stars and described it as “reflective and perceptive indie rock from North Shields’ shining star”.

It added: “Feeling existential, uprooted and disconnected from his previous working-class life due to his fast rise to fame, the British guitar hero channels all of it into his beautiful third album.”

In the meantime, Fender just lately revealed that he’s already engaged on its follow-up and introduced additional dates to his forthcoming UK stadium tour in the summertime, together with Wythenshawe Park in Manchester on August 16, Edinburgh Summer time Classes on August 22 and Boucher Street Taking part in Fields in Belfast as a part of the VITAL Sequence on August 28.

Assist for the primary two exhibits will come from Olivia Dean, whereas CMAT will probably be opening the present in Belfast. Visit here to buy tickets and discover a listing of UK tour dates right here.

The singer-songwriter was additionally just lately introduced as the official ambassador of File Retailer Day UK 2025 – set for April 12 – and can launch two new songs as a part of a particular EP to have fun.

He’s nominated for 2 BRIT Awards at subsequent month’s ceremony: Artist Of The Yr and Alt/Rock Act.