On February 3, 2024, Pierre Garnier won the Star Academy 2023. With his authenticity, sensitivity, and pop-rock universe marked by sincerity, the young man from Normandy quickly charmed thanks to his unique voice and regular performances on the Dammarie-les-Lys castle set. During the final, he emerged victorious against Julien Lieb with over 55% of the votes, clinching the coveted title and a contract with Sony Music France. Shortly after, he released his first single “Ceux qu’on était,” an introspective song that became a real hit, accumulating millions of streams and propelling his solo career.
Following this success, Pierre Garnier chose to join the independent label Duchess, an initiative praised for its modernity and artistic emancipation. By joining, he was able to maintain control over his musical direction and support other emerging talents in a freer environment than traditional circuits. However, not everything was so rosy at Duchess, as revealed by StreetPress in a lengthy investigative report published on Monday, March 30.
“Why is Pierre Garnier’s music label causing controversy?”
The young structure founded by Léo Chatelier, in which Sony Music France has a minority stake in the company, is in the eye of the storm. Former collaborators describe a very different reality within the company. According to several testimonies, the atmosphere at the label is “tense,” characterized by a manager described as “temperamental” and working conditions as “demanding.” “I have never worked serenely with Léo. You want to do well to be appreciated, but you live in fear of making him angry,” confessed a former employee to StreetPress. Another added: “I have cried every night. We worked without counting the hours, sometimes up to 13 hours a day.”
Some mentioned instances of humiliating experiences. “He likes to belittle to maintain power over you,” summarized one producer. Aggressive or sexist messages were also reported to circulate in internal groups: “The contrast between what he preached in meetings and the locker room jokes was alarming,” added a witness. When questioned by StreetPress, Léo Chatelier acknowledged “errors in team management,” but denied any malice. “I did not learn management before creating Duchess. I did my best with passion,” he wrote, explaining that the label has since professionalized. A “charter against sexist and sexual violence” was said to have been established, as well as a team “composed of an equal number of men and women.” “Duchess today no longer resembles that,” he assured.
“The hidden face of Pierre Garnier’s label: late payment and inappropriate remarks”
Several former employees of the Duchess label have denounced serious financial dysfunctions: delayed salaries, staggered payments, and unpaid invoices. “I was paid in three installments in the same month,” said a former employee. Others claimed to still be waiting for payments owed from several years ago. “It’s not about the amount, but the principle,” explained Hélène, who claimed to have never seen the 1,000 euros advanced to the founder, Léo Chatelier. Some also mentioned requests for modifications to invoices, intended, according to them, to justify spending to align with grant budgets. Léo Chatelier maintained that he built the label “from scratch” and admitted to youthful mistakes, while emphasizing that the accounts are now audited by external firms. “No mismanagement has been reported,” he said. However, for some former employees, the memory of giving “200%” for a musical dream turned nightmare will not easily fade. “I came out disgusted with the music industry,” testified one of them.
(Fact Check: The article discusses Pierre Garnier’s journey from winning Star Academy to joining the Duchess label, which has faced controversy due to allegations of a hostile work environment and financial misconduct. It highlights claims made by former employees about the management style at Duchess. The article also mentions Léo Chatelier’s response to the allegations, where he acknowledges past mistakes but denies any wrongdoing. Overall, it sheds light on the challenges faced by artists and employees in the music industry.)
