I’m sick and tired of Instagram!

Yes, I'm so sick and tired of fake accounts following me on Instagram! I have never been a huge fan of Social media. Mainly because it is extremely time-consuming. And time is the most precious gift that we have in life. The older we get the more we realize that. That’s why we distance ourselves from toxic people, liars, negative thoughts, and useless activities.

Being an indie writer and lyricist, Social media is part of the marketing and PR game, whether we like it or not. Or at least that’s what these platforms make us believe. And I played along for way too long, even though I see that my sales are not coming from my media campaigns.

But in the summer of 2021, I started my online petition #HumanityB4Nationality for better rights for refugees regarding education and integration. So I had to be active on Social media. And when I released my very first song with my feat. Artist Thir13een in February 2022, it was clear that I have to continue this time-consuming game, whether I liked it or not.

So I opened an IG account, especially for my music projects. I always put a lot of time and effort into preparing the content (images and messages) but when I see mainly obvious FAKE accounts with topless men in the Gym, images of doctors (surgeons), or men with a poppy following my account, it makes me sick to my stomach!

In the previous weeks, I had to BLOCK hundreds of fake accounts weekly. It’s actually unbelievable how many sick people invest their time to create fake accounts. Honestly, if Instagram would remove all fake accounts, they would lose millions of accounts within a day! And this is probably the only reason why they don’t do anything about it.

It was also interesting how they treated my music account. For my latest release YOYO & CHESS, LILY AMIS feat. THIR13EEN I was more active than ever before and reached more accounts than ever within a short time. 

But guess what Instagram did? They limited my account activity. I wasn’t allowed to share posts, like, or comment on other posts for a week!!! One wonders why?!

They don’t do anything with fake accounts but limit my activity as an indie artist during my most important promotion week! Im DONE with Instagram and I don’t know if I will ever return to this platform or even hand it over to someone else to take care of it again. Life is too short and precious to waste it on corrupt platforms! I'm no longer your YOYO!!!!!

Happy Birthday "80 Million People!" & "Blood is always red!"

I’m very grateful to be able to celebrate my song's first birthday at “Rising Stars” hosted by Paul Golder on the UK radio and podcast show Phoenix FM.

80 Million People on Rising Stars

Blood is always red on Rising Stars

I still can’t believe that “80 Million People!” was released only two days before the war outbreak in Ukraine in 2022. And that “Blood is always red!” was recorded by my feat. Artist Thir13een in the same week.

It’s been a challenging year for many people around the world. Unfortunately, helpless people are still battling war and discrimination every single day. I admit I’m very upset about the recent news regarding the horrible treatment of refugees in the UK and other European countries. It is absolutely devastating and shocking to witness how governments are creating and fabricating unimaginably, inhuman new laws. The living conditions of refugees are getting worse and worse day by day, and it looks as if this crisis will never ever end!

As a writer and Voice4Refugees seeing all these injustices in the world make me really sad and I find it difficult to stay positive, creative, and productive. But creativity is my only way to survive difficult times and so I keep doing what makes me happy and hopeful regardless of all the madness in the world. 

When radio stations play with artists like a YOYO!

As I wrote in my previous blog post “IM NOT A YOYO!” Never was, never will be!!! And just when you think you have seen it all, you realize NO you haven’t. 

As I wrote in my post, I really enjoy the creative process of writing song lyrics but I don’t enjoy the marketing because of corrupt Digital Marketers who only toy with artists by selling fake services with fake followers, fake streams (BOTS), and so on!

The other day I discovered a great music platform where you can contact professional people from the industry and introduce your music and hope for their support. You can contact global playlist curators, radio stations, and much more. So I made the time to take a closer look and have contacted just a few!

And Im happy and excited to say, that so far I made more positive experiences than negative ones. “YoYo & Chess” made it to a playlist and it also got a radio play on a French radio station!

And another French radio station sent me the following positive review:

Radio Zone 26: “A very worked track with a mix that highlights the artist well... I like the notes of the production as well as the vocal power which adapts to perfection... The musical structure is rather well mastered ... A piece that deserves to be defended well ...”

BUT GUESS WHAT? They have decided not to support and play the song. One would wonder why? Well, this is the email that I received today after sending a kind THANK YOU email for the review.

“Hello my friend, If I decided not to push the song any further, it's simply that I try to play the people who give me strength. I have recently been able to see your follow on the Instagram network and when you ask me, I notice that you no longer follow me. I take it that it all just has to revolve around you and therefore I think that if I give you strength, I won't get any in return. Here is simply why I did not support your piece a little more.”

So what do we learn from this? Not even radio stations work professionally. Every single radio station that has supported me to this date has been promoted on my blog and all Socials. So much for being insulted as a TAKER and not a GIVER by a stranger who doesn't know anything about me! 

Not supporting an indie artist and a GREAT track because someone unfollowed you on INSTAGRAM sounds very childish and unserious, considering the fact, that I don’t handle all my socials personally. I have someone who takes care of that because Social media is time-consuming and nothing but a waste of precious time, that I don’t have! Having said that, my PA told me that he is actually following their TWITTER account. Well, not for long after receiving this unprofessional email, that's for sure.

So the takeaway from this story is: NOT EVEN RADIO STATIONS WORK PROFESSIONALLY. So don't take any of these decision-makers (curators) seriously. Don't allow anyone to STOP you from achieving your goals. Don't allow anyone to treat you like a YOYO!!!!

"Ukraine", a beautiful song by Thir13een!

I cannot believe that it's been a year since my song release “80 Million People!” and “Blood is always red!”. While 80 Million People was released only two days before the war outbreak in Ukraine, Blood is always red, was recorded by Thir13een in that week.

It is heartbreaking to witness so much human crime in our time. And a year later nothing has changed. Actually, everything only got worse. The Ukrainian people who were forced to leave their homes and loved ones are now facing incredible challenges and obstacles in foreign countries.

The latest news about their new life in the United Kingdom and other countries such as Germany is shocking. Some of them have become homeless refugees on the streets with no chance to integrate fully because of bureaucratic obstacles.

I'm so proud of my featured artist THIR13EEN for releasing a song, especially for the Ukrainian people. His words are beautiful, deep, and meaningful. Listen and add it to your playlist. 

I’m not a YoYo!

Being an indie author is hard but being an indie lyricist is even harder. Why? I tell you why. I never thought that there are so many corrupt people out there who take advantage of passionate, enthusiastic, hopeful, but unfortunately also clueless and naive indie artists.

While I’m writing and publishing books since 2014, my journey as an Indie lyricist only started a year ago. I write song lyrics for over a decade though and was fortunate to release songs for the first time in 2022 thanks to my feat. Artist Thir13een.

I love and enjoy the creative process of writing lyrics but I do not enjoy the marketing and admin process. Why? Because of corrupt Digital Marketers and social media! These people show ZERO respect for artists' time, energy, investment, love, devotion, and passion.

And THIS BLOG POST is especially for those who send me DM and emails with their FAKE and SCAM services!

FYI: Not all artists are looking for FAKE fame and fortune. Most indie artists just want to leave a legacy by creating something creative, special, meaningful, and timeless. My main goal with my books and songs is AWARENESS. 

I hope that every single person who reads my books or listens to my song lyrics finds inspiration, is encouraged or is empowered. That’s my goal and the most precious and priceless affirmation and recognition! That’s what REAL ARTISTS need.

I’m, not a YoYo and I’m not a chess figure. So to all the Digital Marketers out there, you can't fool me with your Scam services. I don’t need:

- Fake IG followers, Likes, and comments!

- Fake YouTube views, likes, and comments!

- Fake streams (BOTS)

BOTS are nothing but an insult and a waste of time for artists. No serious artist in the world needs corrupt services like yours! 

Emails and DM on IG, FB, and Twitter will be deleted and your account will be blocked! Seriously, find a serious job and STOP wasting serious artists' time! 

 

YoYo & Chess on UK RADIO!

TUNE IN UK! 

Promoting music to the right audience is challenging, especially at this time when streaming platforms receive thousands of new releases daily. It is hard to be explored by the right people. So having the chance to be on the radio station is probably the best way of song promotion. 

I'm very happy, excited, and grateful to be on air at “Rising Stars” hosted by Paul Golder on the radio and podcast show at Phoenix98 FM, which supports unsigned and emerging artists from around the world to get their music out to their awesome audience of 99,000 listeners – 38,000 on FM in the East London and South Essex area and 61,000 online!

A MASSIVE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SHOUT-OUT AND SUPPORT. 

YoYo & Chess on Swedish Radio station!

YEAH, TUNE IN SWEDEN! 

Sweden is THE music country in Europe after the UK and I’m very excited and honored that our song “YoYo & Chess, Lily Amis feat. Thir13een” was aired on the Beat Radio station. The station is on air since 2001. They play songs from the 80s, 90s, and 00s mixed with great music from today. Their program leaders are scattered across Sweden and have a common interest in being Sweden's best web radio channel!

A massive thank you to THE BEATS for playing “YoYo & Chess” and supporting amazingly talented indie artists like my feat. Artist Thir13een.

YEAH, STÄMLA I SVERIGE! 

Sverige är musiklandet i Europa efter Storbritannien, och jag är väldigt exalterad och hedrad över att vår låt “YoYo & Chess, Lily Amis feat. Thir13een” sändes på radiostationen Beat. Beat Radio har sänts sedan 2001. De spelar låtar från 80-, 90- och 00-talen blandat med dagens musik. Deras programledare är utspridda över Sverige och har ett gemensamt intresse av att vara Sveriges bästa webbradiokanal!

Ett stort tack till THE BEATS för att du spelar "YoYo & Chess" och stöttar indieartister.