New Music: Lauran Hibberd - Sugardaddy

A couple of weeks ago Matt Parsons, the Chief Executive of digital music distribution company Ditto Music caused a minor storm on the internet by tweeting: “13 years of Ditto, and Lee and I still work 12+ hours a day, 7 days a week, check our emails at 4am and help our clients on evenings and weekends. No days off. Every spare minute is an opportunity. If you can’t do that basic thing….go work at a major label.”

Whilst Parson’s clients might appreciate his levels of dedication and he might love his job to the point that he’s prepared to work this way, I’m not sure if, as a Chief Executive of a company with a leadership role, this is a responsible message to give out. Particularly to younger people on Twitter trying to get into the music industry who might read the tweet and think that this is how you have to work. 

Wouldn’t most people agree that working 7 days a week, with no days off, for 12+ hours a day mean that you’re probably dedicating too much time to work and missing out on appreciating the other aspects of life that really only come by taking a break? And also, would most people not agree that advocating working such long hours doesn’t take into account the wider impacts it can have? There are many studies that show that people who work long hours experience numerous mental, physical and social effects – some which will only become apparent later in life? Is ‘success’ (and many people judge ‘success’ as wealth earnt) really that important? And if it is, is there another way?

It seems that Lauran Hibberd has got the answer although, as with a number of her songs, there’s definitely a large element of comedic tongue-in-cheek to her solution. Just get yourself a Sugardaddy folks. No more working seven days a week. “Stay home and relax, don’t worry about the money in the bank, 'cos I’ve got stacks around the house,” she sings of her assumedly fictional boyfriend in waiting with an income that knows no bounds. There’s a definite hint of a 90’s Britpop sound to the song; Sugardaddy would sit very comfortably on Sleeper’s Smart or The It Girl Albums as it bounds along with Lauran asking: “Would you like to be my Sugardaddy? I’m tired of working seven days a week.” Brash and playful, it’s another off the wall tune from the Isle of Wight’s queen of indie.

Lauran Hibberd - Sugardaddy