Why is Ashanti Re-Recording Her Old Music?

Why is Ashanti Re-Recording Her Old Music?

The Rain on me singer is back in the studio to put a slightly new spin on tracks from her self-titled debut album in celebration of its 20th anniversary, which fell in April this year.

Ashanti’s debut album reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, and features bangers such as Foolish, Happy, Baby and Rain On Me.

It’s been a fun process for Ashanti and one that has been on her mind for a while.

In an interview with the Breakfast club the singer said the following:

“So as an artist, when you are in the game for a certain amount of time, you pay your dues and things are supposed to come back to you,” she responded when asked about the plans.

“You have a legal team that does what they’re supposed to do so that you can function and own [your work]. So with my album being 20 years old in April (2022), obviously it makes sense for me to go in and re-record so that I can collect my coins.”

Discussing what may change on the re-recorded version, she teased: “It’s not necessarily changing the vibe, but kinda just injecting something new, sonically, into it. And maybe I might put some (new) features in there.”

Ashanti

Why is Ashanti Re-Recording Her Old Music?

The singer apparently had the idea long before the likes of Taylor Swift started the process amidst her Scooter Braun drama.

‘What I will say is I’ve always had the idea to go back in and re-record and gain the masters,’ she told Metro.co.uk ahead of her UK tour later this month.

Praising her fellow pop princess, she continued: ‘I think Taylor is amazing for what she’s done and to be able to be a female in this very male-dominated industry, to accomplish that is amazing.

‘More of us have to continue that narrative of women empowerment, and just artists as a whole. Owning your property and getting a chance to have ownership of your creativity is so so important.

‘Male, female, singer, rapper, whatever, I hope this is a lesson for artists to get in there and own.’

Ashanti has spent time recording the old songs again in Toronto, Canada, which has been a ‘super cool’ journey.

‘It’s weird because I’m touring. And doing shows all the time, so I’m hearing my records all the time,’ she laughed.

‘But you go into the studio and people are like, “Argh, that’s my jam!”

Who owns Taylor Swifts New Music?

Taylor Swift signed with Republic Records in 2018, in a deal which meant she could keep the rights to her music.

She has since released three new albums and two re-recorded albums: Red (Taylor’s Version) on November 12, 2021. And Fearless (Taylor’s Version) on 9 April, 2021.

Re-recording them means she creates new ‘master’ versions of her old tracks that she has ownership of. So when those versions are played on Spotify and Apple Music, she profits from them.

But any old versions of her songs still belong to Shamrock Holdings. And so the company will continue to profit from the old tracks if people play them.

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Why is Ashanti Re-Recording Her Old Music?