James Blake has hit back at claims that his girlfriend Jameela Jamil solely “inspired” his new album - adding she deserves more credit as she worked on it.
The musician, 31, championed the women who help musicians create albums, only to later find themselves branded as “muses."
Blake made his comments after an interview with US music website Billboard, in which he credited Jamil for her work on the album.
In the interview, presenter Jordyn Rolling asked him if Jamil inspired songs on his latest record, Assume Form, to which he responded: “100% yeah. And helped make it. She has an incredible musical instinct, she’s a mini Rick Rubin in her own way."
He added: “I’m not just saying this because she’s my girlfriend. She has a credit on the album itself and it’s not just a shout out. It’s genuine work.”
Later on, Billboard tweeted: “Backstage at ACL Music Festival, [James Blake] discusses his latest album 'Assume Form,' how his girlfriend Jameela Jamil inspired the record, and teases new music. #ACLFest.”
But Blake disagreed with the wording of the tweet, writing in response on Twitter: “Not just inspired it - she actually worked on it. I even said it in the interview, but people focus on ‘inspired’ because the idea of the ‘muse’ is so romantic and pervasive.”
He added: “In addition, women who help their partners with their album, being a sounding board and often their only emotional support during the process, almost invariably go uncredited, while majority male producers come in and make a tiny change to a track and they’re Mr. golden balls.”
“Shout out to all the partners who selflessly placated a musician during a very self absorbed process like creating an album, who got the title ‘muse’ afterwards which basically amounts to being an object of affection while the musician exercises their ‘genius’.”
Jamil, 33, responded with her appreciation for him speaking out, writing on Twitter: “I love this man a lot. He’s a proper feminist.”
The Good Place actress, who has been dating Blake for more than four years, has a production credit on the album.
