CANNES — Jared Leto admits he still bears the scars of his band’s epic contract battle with EMI and blasted YouTube for failing to pay artists enough for their work.
In 2008, 30 Seconds to Mars was hit with a $30 million breach-of-contract suit by EMI after the band tried to exit its contract over a royalties dispute. Leto then directed the film “Artefact” about the dispute, which ended when the band signed a more favorable contract.
Leto, who appeared onstage at Cannes Lions in conversation with The Barbarian Group’s Benjamin Palmer, said getting involved in tech projects had inspired him: “I am just learning all the time, and that is so stimulating. Especially standing in the shadow of an industry that is failing. Since 1998 … I have been in 30 Seconds to Mars, we have been signed for a very long time. A few years ago, we disputed our contract, they sued us for $30 million and we battled them for a couple of years and we made a film about it called ‘Artefact.’
“That experience taught me to not wait, not ask for permission and to be entrepreneurial, find solutions for myself and hopefully other artists. So it helped put me on a path as a founder and encouraged me to dive deeper into technology to help other artists have conversations and share their work throughout the world.”
It would be nice if I did have the right to speak on behalf of women. I’ve worn the heels, I’ve put on the tights and everything else, so I feel your pain, ladies.
- Jared Leto
Leto continued that it was unfair that some artists are still not fairly paid for their work.
“It has been great for artists to share their work with the world.
“I am always in favor of companies like YouTube to talk a bit more with musicians and make deals a bit more with musicians. A lot of people don’t know this, but someone who does make-up tutorials on YouTube can make more than an artist who makes music.
“I don’t necessarily think that’s a good thing, especially since music has been part of the core of the success of a company like YouTube.”
Leto added, “Then again, I am a guy who has sold millions of albums and have not been paid a penny by my record label, so maybe I am jaded.”
He also spoke up for women, saying that being brought up by a single mother made him appreciate female leaders.
Leto, 42, who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in “Dallas Buyers Club,” was asked by a member of the audience about women in advertising and if playing the character Rayon, a transgender woman, in the movie had given him an insight into women’s rights.
He said: “It would be nice if I did have the right to speak on behalf of women. I’ve worn the heels, I’ve put on the tights and everything else, so I feel your pain, ladies.”
He added, “As some of you may know if you saw the Oscars, I was raised by a wonderful single mum [Constance Leto, who was at his side at the Academy Awards]. So I’m all for women being in positions where they can actually participate and have real authority to change the world that we live in.”
Heckling people getting out of their seats to leave, Leto joked, “‘Take care, see you, bro.’ That’s my dad.”
He added: “It’s the first time I’ve seen him … It’s the second time, actually, the first time was when he just flicked a cigarette and said, ‘I’ll see you, kid, just going to the store to get a carton of milk,’ and never came back. Punk.”