By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
Last week it was speculated that Kelly Rowland was dropped by her record label (Universal Republic) considering her last album struggled with sales and she’s no longer listed on the official website, but now it appears Kelly wasn’t exactly dropped.
In fact sources tell Always A List that Kelly actually asked to be released because she felt the label didn’t do enough to promote her new music:
Our sources admit that Rowland became frustrated with her record company even before she dropped her fourth solo offering, “Talk a Good Game” in June 2013. Despite the CD’s first single ‘Kisses Down Low’ being a radio smash and selling more than a half-million copies—certified gold by RIAA—and follow-up singles ‘Dirty Laundry’ and ‘Ice’ both being Top 10 at radio; “Talk a Good Game” only sold 215,000 units in total.
Apparently, when the 33-year-old vocalist signed on to be a judge for the third season of “The X-Factor,” her team asked the label to release a new single to capitalize off the eight million viewers the show averaged each week. The label chose not to capitalize off of Rowland’s involvement on the show and the singer asked to be released from her contact.
Universal Republic quietly allowed Rowland to become a free agent in December 2013. Unbeknownst to fans, the singer has already been recording new tracks for a fifth studio album and has been entertaining new offers from record companies interested in signing her.
So not only did they sh-t on her, but they were glad to let her go. Damn.
Right.
Yeah that was disrespectful as hell.
That’s what it’s sounding like.
This doesn’t sound any better. So she wasn’t dropped, but she wasn’t a priority either and they didn’t care if she left.
If she’s waiting for a label to promote her, she will continue to flop.
Kelly won’t win until she stops talking about Beyonce in her interviews and starts promoting herself. The end.
THIS! ^^^^
She can’t promote herself? If I were her, I’d start putting some of my own money to the side and market my damn self. These labels don’t believe in her. It doesn’t matter where she goes, she will not be a priority. Time for her to put her future in her own hands.
Yeah, I agree. And she could always go independent so that way she can run her career like she wants and keep more of the money she makes.
Thank you. I hope Kelly understands this and markets herself next time. These labels don’t care.
Poor Kelly. Her last album was good too.
She should consider going the independent route.
Agreed!
Ouch.
This is some really disrespectful ish. They pretty much didn’t give a damn about Kelly. And I don’t think she will get treated any better at another label sadly.
Well they didn’t promote her like they should BUT she didn’t promote herself well either she kept talking about Beyonce and Dirty Laundry wasn’t a great single to release. I think Kelly is a little old school nowadays artist have to promote themselves more now than the record label. Unless you are huge stars like Beyonce, Adele, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna people who are already proven to sell they won’t promote you.
I feel bad for her. 🙁
I’m not trying to be mean, but what did she really expect? She is a proven flop and no label is going to put money into marketing an artist that cannot sell albums. They lose money that way. She should do like Ashanti and go independent. That way she makes more money regardless of how many albums she sells and she has more control over her career.
You went in lol but you make some good points though.