Shena Skies Opens Up About Industry Struggles And Unfair Treatment Of Songwriters

Renowned singer and songwriter Shena Skies has candidly shared the challenges she has faced while working with artists in the music industry.

In a recent radio interview, Shena highlighted the harsh reality of being a songwriter, revealing that the role often comes with little financial reward.

She explained that most songwriters are paid only a one-time “day fee”  even if the song goes on to become a hit  and are often forgotten once the transaction is over.

“As writers, we usually stop at the day’s fee. It’s like airtime, artists tend to forget about us when they perform our songs or hold concerts. I understand that it’s just human nature, but it still hurts.”,she said.

Shena pointed out that streaming platforms offer a glimmer of hope, as writers are entitled to a small share of revenue each time a song is streamed or purchased.

However, she admitted that even this is not always a reliable source of income due to limited views and complications with rights.

She recounted a particularly frustrating experience involving Tanzanian artist Diamond. Shena had written a song for him under a verbal agreement, expecting to earn a share from its success. However, Diamond allegedly credited himself as the sole writer, and when Shena attempted to claim her earnings, her account was blocked because she was not officially recognized as a co-writer.

“I had high hopes of earning from that song because Diamond gets a lot of views.But since he listed himself as the only writer, they closed my account. That same issue affected another song I wrote for Spice Diana and Mbosso — my account has remained locked ever since.”she said.

To regain access to her account, Shena explained that she would need to contact Diamond directly  something that has proven nearly impossible.

“I’ve tried reaching out, but he no longer picks up my calls now that our deal is done. It’s the same with Mbosso and Spice Diana. Getting in touch with them has been just as difficult,” she added.

Shena’s story sheds light on the often-overlooked struggles of songwriters and the need for more transparent and fair treatment within the music industry.