Sam Fender has branded the music industry “rigged”.
The 30-year-old singer – who hails from the north east of England – believes the artists from working class backgrounds rarely achieve success in music because they “can’t afford to tour” and their songs will never be heard.
He told The Sunday Times newspaper: “The music industry is 80 per cent, 90 per cent kids who are privately educated.
“A kid from where I’m from can’t afford to tour, so there are probably thousands writing songs that are ten times better than mine, poignant lyrics about the country, but they will not be seen because it’s rigged.”
Fender went on to add: “People are very unaware. We are very good at talking about privileges – white, male or straight privilege. We rarely talk about class, though.
“And that’s a lot of the reason that all the young lads are seduced by demagogues like Andrew Tate.
“They’re being shamed all the time and made to feel like they’re a problem. It’s this narrative being told to white boys from nowhere towns.
“People preach to some kid in a pit town in Durham who’s got f*** all and tell him he’s privileged? Then Tate tells him he’s worth something? It’s seductive.”
Fender released his third album ‘People Watching’ this month and he recently revealed he’s already working on a follow-up.
During an appearance on Apple Music 1‘s ‘The Zane Lowe Sho’, Fender said: “I feel like if things are moving fast, then you know it’s happening.
“As soon as it’s [the album] done, it’s like wiping the hard drive in your head and now I’m ready to do another one.
“I just want to get back in the studio, if I’m honest. I’ve got a load of new songs already.”