Jon Bellion—known for his contributions to chart-topping hits by Justin Bieber, Maroon 5, and Miley Cyrus—recently co-directed “Friend of Mine,” which marks Rihanna’s first new single in three years. He emphasizes that he is not focused on a “numbers game” with the release of Father Figure. Instead, Bellion seeks a more abstract metric of success. He expressed, “If my album can give you one more day of inspiration, then I’m content with that— that’s the goal.” This heartfelt message was shared during an interview with Billboard, showcasing his commitment to creating meaningful music.

Alongside its emotional depth, Father Figure presents a groundbreaking model within the industry, as it is one of the rare projects where its credited co-writers will receive a share of master royalties, often referred to as “points,” on the album. Bellion collaborated closely with the talented artists from Beautiful Mind Projects, which encompasses his management, publishing, and record label team. This includes skilled producers such as Pete Nappi, Tenroc, and Elkan, all of whom have also contributed to Rihanna’s “Friend of Mine,” further emphasizing the collaborative spirit that defines this project.

Bellion’s decision to share points with his fellow songwriters stemmed from his own frustrations with the music industry’s compensation practices, where songwriters are often underpaid. He stated, “I don’t want to hear people say, ‘Oh, he’s made money and he’s successful, so he can’t talk about how songwriters get paid poorly.’” Bellion passionately believes in fair compensation for all artists involved in the creative process, emphasizing that there’s a moral injustice when significant profits are not equitably shared.

“If the total earnings are $10 million and you’re only compensated with a mere $250,000, that reflects a serious moral injustice,” he elaborated. He continued, “No matter how you dissect that, it’s an absurd situation. I’ve always been vocal about the need for change in the industry, and I’m unbothered by others’ perceptions, because the reality is that songwriters are compensated inadequately.” His commitment to advocating for fair treatment in the industry is a driving force behind his work.

After self-financing Father Figure, Bellion has gained a fresh perspective and a deeper appreciation for the role of record labels. He asserts that there is potential for labels to invest less in promotional campaigns and redirect those funds toward supporting creative collaborators instead. With this in mind, Bellion chose to concentrate his promotional efforts on high-quality music videos for four tracks from the album, including the title track, which received a poignant visual release on Friday (June 6).