Kem in Los Angeles in 2023. Photo: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
Local R&B star Kem is going independent after 23 years with Motown Records.
Why it matters: Kem's departure leaves Motown without a signature Detroit artist on its roster for the first time since it was founded in 1959, the Free Press reports.
State of play: The singer-songwriter, who sold CDs out of his trunk in Detroit after moving to the area as a child, is resurrecting Kemistry Records, under which he released his debut album.
What they're saying: Kem called his relationship with Motown "wonderful," adding that his new direction will allow him to release more music.
"The industry has changed, and maybe I should change too," he told the Freep. "I'm an established artist. There's no reason not to saturate the airwaves, be it streaming or radio, with what I consider to be great music."
