US soprano Hendricks follows Radiohead in album giveaway
PARIS (AFP) — US Soprano Barbara Hendricks is following in the footsteps of rock band Radiohead by letting fans decide the price of her new album as from Wednesday, her distributor said.
The decision "is a first for a classical music artist", said digital distributor Believe.
The 59-year-old US-Swedish soprano in 2006 launched her own record label Arte Verun "in order to allow her to ensure production and the best possible distribution of her works," Believe went on to say in a statement.
Her third album under the label, but her first solo recording featuring airs from Handel and Purcell, is entitled "Endless Pleasure".
Hendricks, whose contract with EMI ended in 2004, has sold almost 12 million albums worldwide.
Last month, British rock group Radiohead stunned the music industry by announcing the launch of their latest album at whatever the customer wanted to pay for the download.
The pay-as-you-want offer of "In Rainbows" also followed the expiry of the hit art-rockers' contract with EMI.
The experiment drew a mixed response, with British singer-songwriter James Blunt for example warning the approach could be dangerous for artists.
"I've got to pay a band and a producer and a mixer. I don't know how I'd necessarily pay them if I sold my albums for one penny," he told the British press.
