"It was a long time coming for Platten, who had spent 15 years selling CDs out of suitcases and sleeping in vans between gigs. "Fight Song" alone took two years to write. She'd reworked its perseverance-themed lyrics endlessly and recorded nearly 20 versions on her own dime. Even then, it wasn't until the song achievedorganic radio buzz that Columbia Records entered the picture and scooped up the rights."
"The deal she'd signed with Columbia had left her with only 17 percent ownership of the song's master recording. Unbeknownst to her, the label was raking back recording and marketing expenses she'd thought they would cover. "I said yes to the $1,000-a-day studio. I said yes to the $5,000 dress," she says. "I just want to hold that girl and be like, 'Girl, you don't need those shoes. You're paying for it.'""
Rachel Platten spent 15 years building a career before achieving a major-label breakout in 2015 with "Fight Song," which charted in the top ten in nine countries. She wrote and refined the song over two years, recording nearly 20 versions on her own. Columbia Records acquired the rights after the song gained organic radio buzz, but Platten retained only 17 percent ownership of the master and later saw the label recoup recording and marketing expenses she had assumed would be covered. Platten regrets costly production choices but still benefited financially from her stake and from retaining roughly 65 percent of the song's publishing rights.
Read at Vulture
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