Naked Cameo: "Rage Bait is currently popular"

Austrian band Naked Cameo is deliberately steering clear of the current trend for "rage bait" on platforms like TikTok, opting instead for artistic integrity with their album "Phase to Phase." The duo, Lukas Maletzky and Maria Solberger, achieved significant success with their 2018 debut, garnering millions of streams. However, they now express disillusionment with the streaming model, which they deem exploitative. "Streaming is fundamentally so exploitative that you can no longer participate," states guitarist and lyricist Maletzky. He also notes that live performances, particularly for smaller indie concerts, have become less viable since the COVID-19 pandemic, impacting their ability to earn a living. The band describes their economic situation as precarious, likening it to a lottery where income is unpredictable. Maletzky adds that the broader job market is not in a much better state, describing the treatment of workers as "terrible."

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Streaming is fundamentally so exploitative that you can no longer participate.

Despite the financial challenges, Naked Cameo is committed to evolving their sound. While their debut was characterized by synthesizers, and their second album "Trespassing By" leaned towards a rockier tone, their latest work "Phase to Phase" reintroduces a stronger emphasis on guitar. Solberger, who was responsible for the synth sounds on the first album, explains her earlier focus by mentioning her influence from listening to James Blake and her initial unfamiliarity with synthesizers. Maletzky, however, embraces this "naive approach" as a way to avoid mistakes. The new album, featuring twelve songs crafted in Linz, Vienna, and Berlin, refines their indie-pop sound, with the band expressing deep appreciation for producer Marco Kleebauer's efficiency in finalizing their work.

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The job market is generally not in a better state than the music industry. How people are treated there is terrible.