All good things come to an end, and here, I’d like to tell you the one of Unis Son. Yes, like that, out of the blue. Because, it’s actually been on my mind for a while now. A few years even. But, I couldn’t just stop without telling you why.
First of all, I’m going through a quite intese burn-out. It’s been quite a while now. It’s also not just any burn-out. I actually lived through different kind of burn-outs, because it’s incredibly hard to balance a full-time job and another that’s seen as such. The thing is, I’m autistic. So my burn-out doesn’t only come from a lack of balance or too much work. It’s one that comes from too much EVERYTHING – and not enough time to dive deep in special interests. This is a diagnosis I’ve received this year, so it’s pretty new. Yet, it does help to put words on everything I feel. And to be very honest, going through hundreds of email each week and listening to sounds I don’t really enjoy… well, that’s heavy. And my ’tism doesn’t like that.
Above all else, I’m also mad, upset, and angry at the music industry as it pays everybody like shit apart from the moneymakers. Spotify being the guiltiest of all. And through the year, making my research, I decided to move to Deezer. It’s not perfect, for sure, but it’s at least a tiny bit better and a small step I’m happy I’ve taken. Ideally, I’d love to get back to a Walkman with CDs, a fix-up iPod, and only use my vinyl collection.
Then, there are many (and repetitive) emails from agencies contacting me so I can share their artists (and what follows are four reminders despite having shared them), but who don’t share the articles. No benefits, no counterpart for some. Thankfully, it also means that I’ve met and worked with some very understanding, amazing PRs, patient, open-minded, adorable people who never minded too much the many times I hadn’t replied within a week to them. You’ve carried me for many years guys! May I had that it’s you who’ve got the best artists too? Coincindance? I really can’t thank you enough Camille, Erwan, Xavier, Virginie, Cassandre, Anne-Laure, Lorraine and all of the others that I forgot to mention – I hope you can forgive me. You’re all amazing!
But the hard realisty is that those incredible people are not enough to keep me going. Or rather not enough anymore. Financially, it doesn’t bring anything to the table, rather it’s quite a lot of expenses. Despite Groover, SubmitHub and Musosoup. I’d need to do quantity over quality, and I get lost in it all, I don’t know what to do or to say anymore, so I don’t say anything. When I say it’s a burn-out… And my autism does prefer that I listen some tracks and artists I adore and love on repeat. For my dopamine, I can’t really choose quantity and analyse so many tracks that might not really work for me. Then again, I understand my exhaustion better with my diagnosis. That passion has slowly died down.
And everything gets worse when I’m send things that are owning to the fact they’re made, fully or not, with AI. Here I am again, upset with the industry that get AI artists signed for millions but that leave so many other human beings on the side walk, promising people with talent, passion, dedication. I know I’ve already been fooled and shared stuff made with AI, I’m certain of it and regret it deeply because I should have avoided them. If only I hadn’t been in audopilot… So yeah, AI sucks. And if you disagree with that, I couldn’t give a damn.
In any case, Unis Son is over. Because I’ve worked on it for a long time on my own when it started as a team. I can’t really force anyone to stay if they don’t want too though. So I’ve taken it upon myself to go through it alone. I’ve tried to rebrand the blog on socials but these also are a source of exhaustion… Another vast topic. So yeah, I’m exhausted.
So, even if it hurts, even if it makes me sad, even if I would have loved to be stronger facing changes to keep supporting artists I love, indies that deserve the light, gems I adore, just so I can live and not stay in survival mode, I need to change things my way. I need to use my curiosity for myself first. Sorry. I tried. I really did. Its a lifestyle, an activity that no longer suits me. I shared… now it doesn’t spark joy anymore. It’s sad, but it is what it is. Maybe one day I’ll be back with a new format.
Who knows…
It was a great adventure, thank you for everything.
In the meantime, enjoy music, have fun, loads of love.
Cheers.
Léa
PS: for now, the blog stays online, but it might come to disappear at some point.
