Why I Walked Away From a Record Deal (And Built a Better Way for Artists)

I was 21. Sitting in my apartment. A record deal on the table.

And I walked away.

Not because I didn't want it. I did. Badly. But because I actually read the contract.

98% of the revenue went to the label. I'd get 2%. And I'd lose all creative freedom — couldn't pick my own band, couldn't choose what to release, couldn't say no to a single thing.

That's not a partnership. That's indentured servitude with a nicer name.

So I turned off my phone, computer, and TV for 10 days. Thought about what I actually wanted. And then I said no.

This is why I built Selah.fm — a CPM marketplace where artists set their budgets and creators earn per verified view. No black boxes. No middlemen taking 98%.

How I Got Into Music in the First Place

It started with Queen. Greatest Hits album. Listened to that thing until the tape wore out.

My dad was a DJ back in the day — vinyls, speakers, the whole thing. He sold his collection to start a business and provide for our family. That always stuck with me. Music wasn't just fun. It was sacrifice. It was provision.

I started with a fake guitar. Just singing along. Then I joined bands in school. Led worship at church. Slowly, I got real instruments, real songs, real stages.

By the time the record deal showed up, I'd been living and breathing music for years. But the deal wanted to take that breath away.

What the Record Deal Taught Me About the Music Industry

Here's the thing I learned the hard way:

• Major labels aren't in the business of making artists rich. They're in the business of making shareholders rich. You're the product, not the partner.
• Creative freedom is the first thing to go. I couldn't pick my own band members. Couldn't choose my sound. That's not art — that's assembly line work.
• The numbers don't lie. 98% to them, 2% to you. And they own your masters forever. You're a slave to a system that doesn't care if you eat.

I recorded an EP of five songs — covers of hits from other countries that never went viral in the Netherlands. One was 'Terug Naar Het Begin'. Good song. But even that wasn't mine. Not really.

That's when I wrote down a sentence that changed everything: I want to change the world from my living room.

Six months later, I started building Dream or Donate — the biggest personal crowdfunding platform in Holland and Belgium. We raised over €6 million. I became a multi-millionaire by 27.

And then I lost it all.

Losing Everything and Finding What Actually Matters

The platform got hacked. I got publicly cancelled by national media. Sold everything I owned to pay everyone back.

I ended up in a campervan. Living on the streets of Tenerife. Busking with a guitar outside Mercadona in Los Cristianos.

One night, I got on my knees in that campervan and prayed. I told Jesus I wanted to be happy again — like I was as a child. Without fame, status, money, drugs, or alcohol.

That's when everything started changing.

I quit smoking after 15 years. Started making electronic worship music — what I call holy raves. Started giving everything away for free.

Now I live by donations. Don't own a house or a car. But I've never been more free.

How Selah.fm Works (And Why It's Different)

Selah.fm is a CPM marketplace. Simple idea: artists set their budgets, creators earn per verified view. No black boxes. No hidden fees. No 98% taken off the top.

Here's what makes it different:

• Artists control their promotion. You decide what to spend, where it goes, and how it performs. No label telling you what to do.
• Creators get paid fairly. Per verified view. No bots, no fake engagement. Real people watching real content.
• Transparency is built in. You see exactly where your money goes and what you get for it. No surprises.

I'm not trying to become a millionaire off this thing. I just want to help artists and creators run a beautiful platform that doesn't cost me any money. That's the goal.

If you're an artist tired of getting ripped off, browse how artist campaigns work here. If you're a creator who wants to earn real money for real views, see how creator earnings work.

My Creative Workflow (It's Messy and That's Okay)

People ask me how I make music. The truth? It's a mess.

I start with a feeling. Usually a guitar loop or a synth pad that hits me in the gut. No plan. I record it raw, then build a beat around it. Then I walk away for a day.

If it still makes me feel something when I come back, I write lyrics from a prayer journal I keep. I record vocals on my phone first, then in Ableton.

No templates. No formulas. Just feeling.

Some songs take months. I've got one sitting for two years. When I get stuck, I go busk. Play for strangers on the beach. They don't care about my deadline. That reminds me why I started: to connect, not to finish.

If a song's not ready, I let it breathe. Forcing it never works.

Quality vs. Quantity in Today's Music Scene

Here's what I believe:

• Quantity gets you algorithm love. Release every week, get more streams, play the game. It works — for a while.
• Quality gets you fans who show up. People who drive four hours to see you. Who buy your merch. Who tell their friends.
• I'd rather have 100 real fans than 10,000 bots. The streaming economy wants you to churn. I want you to last.

I release one song a month max. That's it. If it's not ready, it waits. The world doesn't need another half-finished track.

How I Know When a Song Is Done

I play it for my wife in the car. If she doesn't reach for her phone, it's done. Seriously.

I also test it on headphones, speakers, and my phone speaker. If it moves me the same way it did when I first wrote it, I release it. If I'm bored listening to it, it's not ready.

The hardest part? Letting go of control. I'll tweak a reverb tail for three hours. Mix until it sounds lifeless. Then I have to drag myself away, upload it, and trust God with the outcome.

Most people won't hear the tiny flaw I'm obsessing over. So I let it go.

Key Takeaways

• Read the contract: If you can't pick your own band or own your masters, it's not a deal — it's a trap.
• Quality over quantity: One great song a month beats 12 half-finished ones. Real fans remember the great ones.
• Let go of perfectionism: If it moves you the same way it did when you first wrote it, release it. Nobody hears the tiny flaw you're obsessing over.
• Own your promotion: Don't depend on labels or black-box platforms. Set your budget, control your campaign, know where your money goes.
• Start from a feeling: If it doesn't hit you in the gut, don't force it. Let it breathe.

FAQ

What is a CPM marketplace?

It's a platform where artists set their budget and creators earn per verified view. No middlemen taking a cut. You control everything.