The claims of a toxic culture in the music industry that saw Sony Music Australia CEO Denis Handlin sacked are reigniting with indie singer Jaguar Jonze’s single Who Died And Made You King, on which she uses a clip from a statement Handlin made.
Handlin was fired as a result of an internal Sony investigation into workplace culture. The investigation is ongoing, and there is no suggestion he’s accused of any wrongdoing or knew of incidents of inappropriate behaviour.
ABC program Four Corners have looked into the Sony situation in an episode to air Monday October 11 titled Facing The Music.
Last August, Universal Music also launched an investigation into inappropriate behaviour at their Australian office.
Jonze says the single isn’t about Handlin, but the news broke while she was writing it. As such, she heard a statement he made and says a clip from it fit perfectly.
In the clip, Handlin says, “I believe we must have zero tolerance for those who think they are bigger than the artist and get carried away who egos and politics. I think sometimes we need to work in silence and let success make the noise.”
Without singling out anybody specifically, Jonze opens the track singing, “I’m leading, I’m the voice of change. Your downfall isn’t far away.”
