After 23 years, R&B singer Kem is exiting his hometown’s legendary record label, Motown, to return to being an independent artist.
Grammy-nominated singer and Michigan native Kem is reviving his independent label, Kemistry Records, the same imprint behind his self-funded debut album that made him a local sensation in Detroit in the early 2000s, and eventually led to his signing with Motown in 2002. Kem’s departure marks a historic shift in Motown history as it’s the first time the label has no Detroit artist on its roster.
“Over the last three to five years, I’ve done a lot of internal soul-searching about the seasons of my life — being married, having young children, thinking about my career and about the sea change in the music industry and content creation,” he told the Detroit Free Press. “With the traditional model of doing business, everything has shifted.”
Kem’s decision comes after years of executive turnover and restructuring at Motown Records, including the 2022 resignation of CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam after just a year in the role. The label also returned to subsidiary status under Capitol Music Group, which led to a wave of layoffs.
Throughout the shakeups, Kem remained patient as the West Coast-based label underwent major changes.
“We’ll wait ‘til the dust settles,” Kem said. “But what if the dust never settles?”
Motown signed Kem after the grassroots success of his self-funded debut album, Kemistry—an effort he financed using his American Express card while performing Top 40 covers in a wedding band and waiting tables. During his time with the label, Kem released five albums, including a re-release of Kemistry (certified Gold), Album II (certified Platinum), and Intimacy: Album III (certified Gold).
However, after over 20 years with the iconic label, Kem says the shifts within Motown pushed him to leave and return to his independent roots.
“I had a wonderful relationship with Motown,” he said. “But the Motown I signed to, and the Motown that exists now, are not the same. That’s not a negative thing. But the industry has changed, and maybe I should change too.”
Though no stranger to independence, Kem acknowledges that evolving industry trends and tech shifts demand a fresh approach. In response, he’s assembled a dedicated in-house team covering marketing, media relations, legal, and concert bookings. He’ll maintain full ownership of his future master recordings and release music on his own schedule—starting with his upcoming single “Give My Love,” which he describes as having an Afrobeat groove with a “Sade-esque vibe.”
“It’s a return to the love of how I like to make music and engage with my fans,” Kem said. “This is an opportunity for me to put out music, to control my content, to move more freely, and have more equity in myself. Let me bring all of this home.”
Fans can catch the newly independent Kem live during his two-night homecoming performance at Detroit’s Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre on July 25 and 26. Tickets are on sale now. Fans can find more information on Kem’s new music on his revamped website MusicByKem.com.
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