Singer Jon Bellion recently shared details about the challenges he faced with his former deal with Live Nation during an appearance on The George Janko Show.
Bellion, known for his hit singles and energetic performances, revealed the financial and contractual hurdles that marred his relationship with the live entertainment giant.
“Basically, I got to a place in my career where we sold out 10,000 people at Jones Beach. It was the height of everything for me, and it was right around the time I figured out how my Live Nation contract worked,” Bellion recalled at the 13:02 mark of the show.
“It was also when I figured out how my record deal actually worked.”
He described growing suspicious of the excessive spending on food and other items during his tours.
“When you figure that out on the road and you’re thinking, ‘Why did we buy 300 rolls of toilet paper? Why did we have to spend this much on catering every day?’ No one’s eating the pizza. We’re throwing out pies,” he explained.
The singer struggled to understand why he was expected to repay his advance amidst what he perceived as financial mismanagement by Live Nation.
He pointed out that while his earnings were based on “hard ticket sales,” Live Nation benefited significantly from “peanuts, parking, and alcohol” sales, yielding far greater profits.
“You advance me one million and tell me I’m rich, only to find out that you’re making four million a night,” Bellion said. “It takes me 36 shows to pay back the one million you advanced me.”
Bellion emphasized that the hard ticket sales model required him to sell out every show to avoid financial losses.
Additionally, his contract allowed Live Nation to offer tickets at lower prices, complicating his efforts to stay profitable.
