Dami Im says she endured ‘disrespect and nonsense’ during her time at Sony

Dami Im has shared her thoughts on her time at Sony Australia.

The X Factor winner parted ways with the label in 2020 after waging a six-year battle to make original music.

The 34-year-old tells Yahoo Australia that she endured a ‘comical’ amount of ‘disrespect and nonsense’ at the label. 

Dami Im (pictured) has shared her thoughts on her time at Sony Australia

‘A lot of the things that went on in the company were ridiculous, but I can almost laugh about it now because it doesn’t hold any power over me anymore’ she said. 

‘I was just lucky enough that I have those people so that I’m still here doing what I love’ the singer added.  Like, I survived it and I am so aware of how lucky that is.’

The 34-year-old tells Yahoo Australia that she endured a ‘comical’ amount of ‘disrespect and nonsense’ at the label

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‘Maybe I’m hoping that by me talking about it, those artists that were treated like that and the staff can feel some sort of relief.’ 

Dami says she was forced to make a series of covers albums – 2016’s Classic Carpenters and 2018’s I Hear A Song – finally leaving the label when she declined to make a third in 2019. 

Appearing on The Sunday Project recently, Dami revealed that it took courage to discuss her difficulties with the label in her memoir Dreamer.  

‘This was something that was quite difficult to talk about, but I did really need to write about this in my book,’ she said. 

Appearing on The Sunday Project, the 34-year-old revealed that it took courage to discuss her difficulties with the label in her memoir Dreamer

‘This was something that was quite difficult to talk about, but I did really need to write about this in my book,’ she said. ‘It was a toxic environment being at Sony, and I’ve had days where I would be locked up in the toilet just crying because it was just mentally so distressing’

‘It was a toxic environment being at Sony, and I’ve had days where I would be locked up in the toilet just crying because it was just mentally so distressing’. 

Dami went on to explain that she made albums and music videos that were ‘quashed’ and never released – some that she has never gotten to see or hear herself.  

‘I takes a lot of time and a lot of team effort to get that together, just then to have it quashed and cancelled, thrown in the bin, without me ever getting to see some of it,’ she said. 

‘I still have some music videos that I haven’t even got to see, even though I paid for it as well.’

Dami went on to explain that she made albums and music videos that were ‘quashed’ and never released – some that she has never gotten to see or hear herself

The Eurovision star says that she felt the label tried to ‘intimidate’ her by calling her into boardroom meetings where she was outnumbered by ‘men in suits’. 

She describes the day she finally left the label as ‘a breaking point’ and was willing to give up her career just to get free of her contract. 

‘I’m not a confrontational person, but to step up and say, ‘Look, I’m done. I’m done with you and I’m leaving,’ that’s a good and bittersweet moment of my time there,’ she told The Project. 

The Eurovision star says that she felt the label tried to ‘intimidate’ her by calling her into boardroom meetings where she was outnumbered by ‘men in suits’

Dami won the fifth season of The X Factor Australia in 2013 and received a record contract with Sony Music Australia. 

She released her self-titled studio album, Dami Im, in 2013, followed by Heart Beats in 2014. 

This was followed by the covers albums Classic Carpenters in 2016 and I Hear a Song in 2018. Dami next released the Live Sessions EP in 2019 – her last release with Sony. 

The Crying Underwater singer signed with ABC Music in 2020 and in 2021 released her sixth studio album My Reality with the label. 

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The Crying Underwater singer signed with ABC Music in 2020 and in 2021 released her sixth studio album My Reality with the label