Artist, composer and vocalist Mimi Page is a name you have definitely heard before if you were once a Bassnectar fan. She is the infamous voice, composer, and co-producer behind one of Bassnectar’s biggest songs, “Butterfly.” As a close collaborator to the electronic producer – who has recently stepped down from the Bassnectar project due to sexual misconduct allegations – Mimi Page is sharing her numerous experiences with Nectar.
In an open letter to Lorin Ashton, aka Bassnectar, she calls on him for “true accountability, responsibility, and healing on behalf of the music industry.” In the letter, she goes into detail about the inner-workings behind “Butterfly” and the manipulation done to her by Bassnectar around the project. She explains that “not only did [she] writer and perform the vocals and piano, [she] composed, produced, and sound-designed the synths and ethereal pads.” According to Page, Bassnectar never gave her credit for this, instead, he took full credit for the production of the song.
Page goes into detail about Bassnectar writing this off as something he called the “Bassnectar factor” and fully convinced her that “music didn’t make money.” Page also shares a multitude of other allegations in which she claims Bassnectar exploited and took advantage of her without properly recognizing nor paying her, which you can read in her full open letter here.
Page states the final straw was their latest collaboration on his new album All Colors. Read more below:
“Our last and final collaboration was on your new album “All Colors,” and this was the final straw for me ever working with you again. During a pandemic that is killing people, destroying our economy, and shutting down our industry, you sent me an email “checking in”. Like always, your emails have tons of smiley faces indicating you “love me.” You reminded me we that we “still need to do our song” but asked for a “little favor” on your new album. You wanted me to replace a vocal sample of another girl singing “dreaming of you.” No writing, no harmonies, no creative contribution, not even the consideration of me knowing what I was contributing to as you wouldn’t let me listen to the song. Just “a little favor” of singing and recording for you, for free. I almost said no, and I wish I had. The only reason I didn’t, was because you had just offered me a spot to perform my own acoustic set on the main stage at your festival Deja Voom. […]
“In regards to my creative contribution on your new album, I found my vocal sample on the end track you called “Optimism.” I wasn’t credited as a featured vocalist, and I checked the liner notes and there was no reference that I even sang on the song. After 8 years of working together, you didn’t even give me a shoutout on social media, telling our mutual fans about my contribution being that they loved our past collaborations so much. After all these years, and the massive amount of income you have earned off the back of my own creativity, this is what you have reduced my talent to.”
Read the open letter here.
“The abusive dynamics in the music industry have existed for far too long, we can use this experience to help stop it. While you were a part of this problem, I hold space for your healing and redemption. You can take true accountability for your actions and use this experience as a catalyst for massive change. The only way we can create actual change in this world is by living by example and being the change we need to see. Lorin, please step up. Stand in your integrity and take true responsibility and accountability for your actions no matter what the cost to you. At the times you caused harm to others, you didn’t consider the cost to them. Own up now to what you did, publicly admit it, and take the healing actions required to make true amends. Use your wealth and platform for the goodness you originally intended, it’s not too late.“