After breaking free from a 10-year-long contract with Capitol Records, Sky Ferreira tweeted that, “[My life] was taken from me.–It was like literally being in solitary confinement.” 

The artist is known for her impact on mid-2010s pop music, merging grunge vocals and synth instrumentals. Her 2012 extended play (EP) Ghost got significant attention and reach, despite its alternative nature. She got signed to Capitol Records at only 14 years old, naive to the constraints this would have on her career later in life.

The public’s perception of her being a messy party girl dealt major blows to her reputation. Following her 2013 album Night Time, My Time, she claimed Capitol Records was unsupportive, forcing her to make the album completely on her own. Although she was praised for her unique approach as well as her honesty, the label was limiting her creative freedom, blocking her music from streaming platforms, not allowing her to release music as well as withholding promised financial support for tours, according to Ferreira. Night Time, My Time was about her experience with sexual assault, and some have assumed the label didn’t want this further clouding the image of her they wanted shown. 

In August, a billboard was lit up in Times Square flashing the words, “FREE SKY FERREIRA.” This was paid for by many of her fans on Instagram, who pitched in $40 each. Late last year, fans noticed she was no longer listed as a representative of Capitol Records, assuming that she was finally free of the contract that held her back for years. Newly free, fans hoped, she released a 2023-24 tour schedule, offering hope of new music to devoted fans. 

“I was sad she isn’t coming to Portland,” one Tualatin High junior said. “I would’ve gone!” 

Fans hope that with her newfound freedom, she can now take advantage of the full extent of her talent. Ferreira is only one example of the mistreatment of young artists in the music industry; her story represents many who struggle to show their full worth, and inspires aspiring artists to persevere through all of the bumps along the way.