 |
| Tiki Taane (via Facebook) |
Musician Tiki Taane posted this message on his
Instagram on Saturday, attacking X-Factor for using his name to imply he was on the show, when this was untrue.
"Dear The X Factor NZ,
Please stop exploiting my name & brand to advertise your show on TV3. I do not want to appear on your show as a mentor, and as I clearly said in the emails...
"I have some issues around the integrity of the show itself & being an independent artist I just wouldn't feel right about being on a programme that promotes the exploitation of its contestants by the corporate monster that is Sony."
I am happy for your contestant to perform my song and I wish them all the very best. But please refrain from fooling the public, especially my fans, that I will be appearing on the X Factor NZ show.
Thanks to everyone who has alerted me of the situation.
On behalf of myself and Tikidub Productions, we hope this helps clear up any confusion.
"Free the music, free the art"
*tiki*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X Factor mentoring notes from Tiki Taane.
- Make sure you read the contract very carefully as your rights and control are virtually non existent.
- Be prepared to be a puppet in the Simon Cowell and Sony money making machine.
- Be prepared to have your artistic freedoms squashed and be forced to work with certain producers to make music that you don't even want to make.
- Be prepared to be locked into a fools contract for many years in which you can not escape, leaving you frustrated, angry and resentful.
- Be prepared to be spat out and left to dry because your single / album / image is not selling enough units to feed the Simon Cowell and Sony money making machine.
- Be prepared to be surrounded by fake, ego blowing industry vampires that will suck your soul for all its worth.
- And lastly, I wish you all the very best on your journey. If you ever need real advice then we at Tikidub Productions are always here to help and we will always tell you how it is. Kia Kaha!"
Earlier today, musician Taane followed up that with the below message and the above photo on his
Facebook page.
"Dear Lynley Bilby from The Herald,
I just read your Sunday article about all this Tiki Taane & X Factor drama and even I was yawning!
I can't believe you let a perfect opportunity go to waste when you should've gone in deep about the workings of one of the worlds most corrupt TV shows. Surely you could've followed up with interviews from past X Factor contestants who "mysteriously" had to leave the show? I'm sure everyone of them has a story to tell, one that will shock the public as to how they had to sign away virtually all their rights and control to Simon Cowell or Sony if they were to progress further within the show.
Are there any journalists within the Herald who have the balls to go deep on this topic and actually write something worth reading? If so please stand up!
Ok Lynley Bibly, back to your article at hand.
Firstly who is this Rachel Lorimer lady the spokesperson for MediaWorks, whom I've never met or talked to? And what is this woman on about by saying "after Taane failed an audition to be a judge on XFactor he declined to be a mentor."
For the record everyone, about 3 years ago I was invited by producers from TV3 to meet up & talk about a top secret TV show that was coming to NZ. They explained to me that it was X Factor & asked if I'd like to audition to be a judge, to which I said "yeah why not".
We did a little simulation of a judging scenario and that was that. Afterwards I asked some questions about my concerns surrounding the show, mainly to do with the contestants rights, and from there I did more research about X Factor and quickly realised that this wasn't a job for me. Incidentally I know of about 6 other people who also went through that same interview process.
The job in question went to the incredibly talented Stan Walker who I think is best suited for the roll as his career was launched off a similar show called Australian Idol. Stan is the friggin man! Can sing like an angel & has a beautiful spirit. (Don't worry bro, my beef has nothing to do with you - peace).
Another point I'd like to make is that X Factor ran 2 promos that included my name & brand without my consent. The main one that pissed me off went like this, “some of our biggest homegrown artists giving their advice to the final five…” .. then cuts to a list with the name TIKI TAANE at the top, which does imply that I will be on the show. Even Andrew Szusterman the X Factor Executive Producer said in an email to me that, "It is ambiguous as to your point".
Now the silly thing is, all this drama could've been avoided if the X Factor actually listened to my simple request. But they didn't, so I stood my ground and released the X Ploiter letter on Saturday.
You see im just an independent artist who is standing up for his artistic rights, against the exploitation from a multi million dollar corporation. I represent myself, managed by myself and my amazing sister, work extremely hard at my craft and try my very best to protect what is mine.
I've told the truth as I see it and it's obviously hit a nerve within the industry. I definitely won't be invited to Simon Cowell & Sonys Xmas party but that's ok by me. And I will probably never get promotion from The Herald & TV3 ever again, but that's also ok by me. You see for some people my comments will be a hard pill to swallow but judging by the massive amount of support I've received its been very liberating for most.
From X Factor... To X Ploiter... to X odus!
Thanks for your time and most of all thanks to those who have my back. I'd lastly like to thank NZ on Air who are also caught up in the middle of this circus. This month we are suppose to be celebrating 25 years of NZOA so let's do it right and make sure we have a healthy, unique industry in another 25 years.
I'd say this letter will never get printed by the Herald or released by MediaWorks so you know what to do people, SHARE SHARE & SHARE.... Mauri ora!
Free the music, free the art.
*tiki*"
(When I checked this post, it had been shared on Facebook 6,607 times and had over 17,000 likes)
