Chelsea O’Donnell, Cami Clue offer their thoughts on the issues

By Chloe Kowalyk

Although many musicians on the national level have dealt with music ownership disputes and label contracts similar to Taylor Swift’s, these issues are present for local musicians as well.

For instance, Chelsea O’Donnell is a Buffalo musician most widely known as “Stress Dolls,” a project that takes on many forms: as a solo venture, a duo with fellow musician Sally Schaefer and as a full band.

While much less dramatic than Swift’s dispute, O’Donnell also experienced regaining her masters. 

In 2022, O’Donnell worked with producer Jim Wirt, who has also worked with artists like Fiona Apple, at Superior Sound Studios in Cleveland. 

Wirt and O’Donnell recorded some of O’Donnell’s songs such as “Body” together, and in 2023, O’Donnell signed a record deal with Sun Pedal Recordings, an independent record label also based out of Cleveland.

“It just happened to be this really special connection that Jim was attached with them. And so once I started working with him, I then was in touch with the head of the label, who was also interested in potentially working together, O’Donnell said. “So that’s how our working relationship came to be.”

O’Donnell decided to work with them as the label fronted the money for the recordings of her albums, as well as Wirt’s production of the record. 

After working together for about two years, O’Donnell felt that there wasn’t much of a future for the relationship. 

“It wasn’t like there was any animosity or anything crazy happened,” she said. “Jim left about a year ago, so he’s no longer in-house with them, and I think they, too, have been going through a lot of changes and shifts within their own offices. So we had a conversation.” 

Both sides came to a mutual decision to part ways, and O’Donnell decided that she wanted to buy back her recordings. 

“I think it’s important for artists to own their work, especially if a working relationship is going to be over, I just wanted to know that for whatever happens in the future, I have control over those recordings and what happens to them,” she said. 

The label offered O’Donnell a fair deal, and she described them as being “gracious” through the process. 

This year, O’Donnell launched her own independent label, “Angry Girl Music,” where she reissued her recordings and album “Queen of No.”

“I thought it would be kind of cool to launch Angry Girl Music at the same time as reissuing the record,” she said. 

Although O’Donnell’s story is much less intense than Swift’s, the implications for the industry are the same. 

“I think [with] any working relationship, you’re bound to go through various tensions and stuff. At the end of the day, [Sun Pedal Records] were really, I can’t say enough, how fair they were in these negotiations. I’m overall very grateful for the entire experience,” O’Donnell said. 

For O’Donnell, starting her own independent label has been a great experience. “It’s just a cooler way in my brain to be releasing my own music, because then it has a little bit of a title associated with it,” she said. “I just think that’s kind of fun.” 

O’Donnell mentioned several other local artists have done the same thing, such as Swimming Faith Records, which focuses on local hardcore punk groups such as Science Man and Alpha Hopper. 

For local artists and national artists alike, O’Donnell reiterates that it is always good to own your own music. 

“[If] you are going to pursue working with a label, or a label is pursuing working with you, it is important, no matter what level you’re at, to know what it is they’re offering you and what they’re going to do for you,” she said. “In my mind, I foresee [the future of the industry] being artists, for the most part, owning their own stuff and perhaps instead having help from a manager or a booking agent or those sorts of people, instead of signing to labels.” 

O’Donnell feels that now that the industry has shifted largely from buying physical copies of music to streaming, smaller artists are probably better off remaining independent. 

“I’m not saying, people are necessarily beyond needing help from industry professionals, but I just think that the future seems to be heading in a direction where people mostly own their music and they aren’t necessarily needing help from labels anymore,” she said. 

In addition, she feels it is important for independent artists to have as much control over their music as they can. 

“A smaller artist isn’t necessarily getting the sort of touring opportunities and such, and they don’t have the money behind them that these major label artists do,” O’Donnell said. “So the more control you can have, the more likelihood you have at making something.” 

Swift’s recent reclamation of her master’s and bold act of re-recording her music has served as an inspiration to many artists, including Buffalo’s Cami Clune. 

Clune, who is a Buffalo native, is recognized as being a finalist on Season 19 of NBC’s The Voice, as well as serving as the primary anthem singer for the Buffalo Sabres and singing the anthem for other sports organizations.

Clune sings solo projects as well as with her five-piece band, “Cami and The Fringe.”

For Clune, Swift’s defiance was inspiring. 

 “I think what Taylor did was groundbreaking,” Clune said. “She signed her first record deal as a young and vulnerable artist who may not have fully understood the long-term implications of giving up her masters — something that, unfortunately, is pretty standard in the industry.” 

Clune explained how labels pay for things such as marketing, producers and time in the studio. 

“They’re taking a financial risk on new artists who may or may not succeed. But once an artist does succeed and the label has made back their investment — and then some — the artist should have the opportunity to profit from and reclaim ownership of their art. At the very least, they should be given a chance to buy back their masters,” she said. 

Clune added that while this is certainly true for artists as big as Swift, she believes this should be true for all artists, no matter their size. 

“Her fight to reclaim her work was not just a personal win — it set a precedent and gave a voice to artists at every level of the industry,” Clune said. 

Clune also found the (Taylor’s Version) project to be very wise. 

“Re-recording her music was a masterclass in both creative and business strategy,” Clune said. “It was a bold and brilliant move that allowed her to regain control of her story. What’s even more impressive is how she brought her existing fans along for the ride while also gaining a whole new audience – one that spans generations. Her choosing to re-record sent a clear message that artists don’t have to just accept it how it is — they can rewrite the rules.” 

Known for her empowering music and bold songs calling out those who have questioned her worth, Swift’s defiance is in character. 

Swift is often regarded as a feminist figure for many young women. 

“Taylor’s actions gave many of us — especially women in music — permission to be louder, bolder, and more assertive about our worth. Taylor has been doing that since day one. She broke into a male dominant genre [Swift started out in country] as a teenage girl, determined to be heard and did whatever it took to be heard and achieve her goals,” Clune said. 

This empowering attitude garnered Swift a lot of support, but it also led to her having many people who dislike her, many of them men.

“I’ve always admired how she never let it stop her. Instead, she wrote songs like ‘Mean’ and ‘Shake It Off,’ turning negativity into empowerment. She continues to set an incredible example for women — especially young women — both in the industry and beyond,” Clune said.

Clune takes inspiration from Swift for her own music, and often performs her songs for shows. 

With her band, Clune has a tribute show filled with Swift’s most popular music, called “The Eras Experience – Cami’s Version.”

“Performing her music is always such a joy, especially when I see people of all ages connecting to it,” Clune said. “One of my favorite things is watching moms and daughters bonding over their shared love of Taylor’s music.”

Not only does Clune perform her music, but she also takes inspiration from Swift’s songwriting and storytelling.

“She truly has inspired so many. Beyond the music, Taylor isn’t just an artist, she’s a force,” Clune said. “Watching her stand up for herself and stay so driven, both creatively and on the business side, inspires me to do the same — whether I’m on stage, in the studio or in a business meeting. She’s a reminder that being an artist and an advocate can absolutely go hand-in-hand.”

Although it comes with a large bank account, Swift’s defiance provides many musicians a sense of hope, in that there is a way out of these deals. It may take fan support and a loud voice, but there are ways to defy the odds.