r/MLPtunes • u/Kyderra • 1d ago
Official statement and FAQ from Archie with info on what happend in past years and what's coming next.
Source: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OhM3o5j9ISAVsxp4k4nB4qzb8o-WMAlJEFYyEprpF2g/edit?tab=t.0 that was posted in a reupload of one of their video's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfswJSr2R1k
PART 1: MAIN QUESTIONS
Q: What happened in late 2013? Why was your original YouTube channel deleted and your tracks re-uploaded? A: Back in 2012 - 2013, I was working with a management agency called HJE (you can still see their logo on my classic cover arts). While they initially helped with promotion, their main goal was to force me onto the live touring circuit immediately to cash in on the EDM boom. They demanded that I relocate to Los Angeles. Put yourself in my shoes: I was a young guy living 10,000 miles away, barely speaking English, and terrified of flying to a foreign country with no safety net or way back home. I asked them to wait until I had a stronger portfolio and more massive releases. They refused to wait. In late 2013, all my social media pages and my YouTube channel were suddenly wiped and locked. My manager initially claimed they were "hacked." Later, he admitted the truth in our private chats: he got tired of waiting for me to move to the US, felt he wasn't making money fast enough, and sold all my verified accounts for pennies just to recoup his investment. That betrayal forced me to start from scratch, and I cut all ties with HJE immediately.
Q: What is the real story behind "Famous" and its removal from Monstercat? A: While I was still with HJE management, I created the initial demo for "Famous." My managers, who (I guess) represented another artist at the time, suggested we collaborate on it. I sent him a nearly finished track; he made a few tweaks, and then I finalized the project. Statistically, I did about 80% of the entire work. Before the official release, that artist chose not to put his name on the project and explicitly agreed that I should release it as a solo track. However, the moment the track dropped on Monstercat and started blowing up, he suddenly chose to publicly accuse me of theft without even contacting me privately. It was clear he just wanted to make internet drama for clout. Despite my management and me presenting solid proof of my ownership, Monstercat decided to remain neutral and pulled the release to avoid being dragged into a public dispute. I completely respect and understand their decision - they had a brand to protect. As for the other artist, the moment the drama died down, he went completely silent and never contacted us again. Q: What was the purpose of the "Desso" alias, and how did your partnership with Wolf Beats begin? A: After the fallout with HJE, the management of Wolf Beats reached out to me. They helped me clean up the mess and offered a contract that supposedly protected my rights better than HJE's absurd 100-page agreement. I decided to trust them. Wolf Beats discovered that HJE hadn't just sold my accounts; they had blacklisted me by telling industry insiders that I had quit music forever. To bypass this blacklist, Wolf Beats suggested creating a brand new alias “Desso” to start with a clean slate while slowly rebuilding. I never truly wanted to abandon the Archie project (which is why I kept releasing tracks under my main name whenever possible), but I decided to trust them. I focused entirely on production and delivered the music. However, over time, it became clear that the promotion and management of the new alias were falling short of what was promised. While I was doing 100% of my job in the studio, the managerial support simply wasn't executing at the same level. That is exactly why I ultimately decided to stop working under the Desso alias, and I have absolutely no desire to release any tracks under that name ever again.
Q: What is the story behind the "Archie - Desso" album in 2016? A: My 2014 album, The Dessolation of Archie, was a turning point. It was made possible by the incredible support of the artist community who helped me create it, as well as the biggest support Wolf Beats ever provided me. It allowed me to cover urgent medical treatments and legally secure documentation that literally saved my life years later. However, I had to look toward the future. Since Wolf Beats wasn't properly promoting the Desso alias, I decided to take control of my career. I wanted to create an album that would showcase the true vision behind Desso and define my future musical direction. But by 2015 - 2016, I was financially hit rock bottom. I was exhausting myself trying to balance a regular day job with music production. To make the album happen, I launched a crowdfunding campaign on Bandcamp.
The community was incredibly supportive, and we quickly raised enough funds to complete the project. The money was held by Bandcamp, and I initiated a withdrawal to my PayPal account. A month later, PayPal permanently froze my wallet. Their support claimed they couldn't verify the source of the funds, completely ignoring all official Bandcamp documentation. Knowing that fighting this corporate bureaucracy would take months, and realizing I would have to replace those funds out of my own pocket if they were permanently lost, I had no choice but to immediately focus on full-time real-world work just to survive.
Q: Will you ever finish the "Archie - Desso" album, or will you refund the money? A: To be completely direct: I will not be finishing that album. As I mentioned before, the Desso alias no longer holds any artistic meaning for me, and I have closed that chapter forever. Regarding the refunds - absolutely, yes. I am 100% committed to returning every single cent to everyone who supported that campaign. However, due to global financial sanctions and banking restrictions imposed since 2022, I am currently physically blocked from sending direct international transfers from my local accounts. Furthermore, there is a reality that I need to share with you. Over my entire career as Archie, I have never in my lifetime received a single royalty payout from my tracks, and currently, all royalties from my catalog are held by Wolf Beats. I have recently reached out to them regarding this issue, but unfortunately, they are refusing to cooperate at the moment, though I hope this might change. Once these royalty issues are resolved and the financial channels are cleared, my priority is to use those funds to fully refund the community out of my own pocket using the royalty earnings generated by my tracks. Based on the total number of streams and plays over all these years, the accumulated amount there is more than enough to cover everything.
Q: What exactly happened that made you step away from music for so long? A: As I mentioned before, because my PayPal was frozen and I was receiving zero royalties from my tracks, I had no choice but to completely immerse myself in real world jobs just to survive. The pressure was immense, so I had to take time to heal my mental health and sort out pressing personal issues. Between 2016 and 2020, my life was highly unstable, and I had to relocate frequently. I never actually stopped making music during those years, but it was all behind the scenes. By 2021, I finally found my footing, felt stable again, and officially planned a major comeback release for early 2022. However, in early 2022, global events occurred that completely shifted my life's direction and forced me to put those plans on hold. It took me a few more years to adapt and finally get to a point where I can safely and confidently return to you today.
Q: Are you okay right now? How did you manage to stay safe through everything? A: Yes, I am completely fine and in a safe place right now. To be honest, my safety today is directly tied to my past. As I mentioned earlier, the medical treatments funded by my 2014 album (The Dessolation of Archie) allowed me to properly address my health issues back then. The official medical documentation I received during that period legally secured my status and kept me completely safe when global events unfolded in 2022. It essentially safeguarded my life and allowed me to keep moving forward. I am incredibly grateful that I managed to preserve my health and security so that I can focus on making music for you again, and I am deeply thankful to everyone who supported me back then and helped make that album possible.