Kim Petras asks to leave record label over album delays

Singer Kim Petras has asked to be dropped from her record label, claiming she has been held back from releasing music.

The German pop star says Republic Records have "refused" to give her a release date for her new album that has been "done" for six months.

In a series of posts on X, she also accused the label of withholding payment for some of her collaborators.

The singer released her previous two albums in 2023 with Republic Records after signing with them in 2021. The label has been approached for comment.

The singer gained global fame following her 2022 collaboration with singer Sam Smith on Unholy, which topped charts in the UK and internationally.

The success of the hyper-pop anthem made her the first openly transgender artist to win in a major category at the Grammy Awards.

She has linked up with artists, including David Guetta, The Chainsmokers and Nicki Minaj over the past few years, but her more recent releases have struggled to break into the top tiers of the charts.

In 2024, she cancelled all of her summer festival performances due to "health issues".

Addressing the delay to her upcoming music, the 33-year-old accused labels of not taking interest unless the music capitalises on "tik tok trends" or "80s revival queerbaiting".

She also claimed she has "self-funded" a music video for a single that her label "wouldn't give a release date for" that she says features nine looks and 13 pairs of shoes.

In her statement, Kim revealed she intends to release the full album, understood to be titled Detour, regardless.

"I'm tired of having no control over my own life or career," she said.

"I want to continue to self fund and self curate my own music."

The singer is the latest in a string of high-profile artists who have broken away from their record labels over alleged disputes to release dates.

Singer-songwriter Raye split from Polydor in 2021, after she spoke out about not being able to release her debut album.

Speaking to Newsbeat at the time, she opened up about her "tears and pain" over the record label's reluctance to release her music.

Polydor later said the "decision to part ways" had been "amicable and mutual".

It also comes as Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne shared on Instagram last month announcing she would be "taking the reigns" and self-releasing her debut solo album, claiming her label did not have the "budget" to put it out themselves.

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