Selective Collaboration, Silent Pain, and the Reality of the Industry

In a recent interview, Tzy Panchak made a statement that has continued to spark conversations within the music community: he revealed that he only talks to three artistes. On the surface, it sounded simple almost casual. But beneath that statement lies a layered reality about opportunity, trust, trauma, and the harsh structure of the music industry.

The Cost of Limited Access

If Tzy Panchak is indeed only engaging with three artistes, then it becomes almost impossible for other emerging talents to benefit from the kind of exposure and structure that Cleo Grae, Vivid, and Vernyuy Tina received through the “Na So” project. That project did more than just release music; it positioned artistes, gave them visibility, and validated their craft in a way many independent talents rarely experience.

When access is limited to a select few, opportunity becomes concentrated. And while it is Tzy’s right to choose who he works with, the unintended consequence is a wider pool of talented artistes left without a bridge to similar growth. In an industry where one solid collaboration can change a career trajectory, exclusion, intentional or not has weight.

The Vernyuy Tina Perspective: Growth Over Speed

Another important angle is Vernyuy Tina’s team’s stance. They openly stated that they did not want her to blow quickly; instead, they wanted her to grow steadily and intentionally. While this approach is admirable and strategic, it may have sent a conflicting signal.

From a label or executive’s perspective, investing time, resources, and brand equity into an artiste whose team is cautious about rapid expansion can feel limiting. This could have played a role in discouraging Tzy from extending himself to other talents especially if prior experiences suggested resistance, delays, or misaligned visions.

In such cases, selectiveness becomes a defense mechanism rather than arrogance.

Personal Loss and Unhealed Wounds

What is often overlooked in public conversations is the human behind the executive persona. Tzy has reportedly endured profound personal losses the death of a brother, a father, and a mother. These are not small wounds. Grief of that magnitude reshapes how a person trusts, commits, and engages with the world.

It is possible that Tzy has not fully healed from these losses. Emotional fatigue, guardedness, and withdrawal are common responses to prolonged grief. In that context, limiting interactions to just three artistes may not be a business strategy alone, but an emotional boundary a way to reduce stress, complexity, and potential disappointment.

The industry often demands emotional resilience without acknowledging emotional damage.

The Industry’s Harsh Reality

Beyond individual choices lies a much bigger problem: the nature of the music industry itself. Artistes leave labels abruptly. Labels lock up artistes indefinitely. Contracts become prisons instead of partnerships. Trust is broken repeatedly on both sides.

Label owners are constantly burned by artistes who leave once they gain visibility. Artistes, on the other hand, are traumatized by executives who prioritize control over growth. In such an environment, caution becomes survival.

So when someone like Tzy chooses to work with only a few artistes, it may be less about favoritism and more about risk management, financial, emotional, and reputational.

A More Honest Conversation

This situation calls for nuance, not outrage. Yes, limited access restricts opportunity for many artistes. But it also reflects deeper issues: misaligned expectations, emotional wounds, and an industry that rewards exploitation more than collaboration.

If the ecosystem is ever going to improve, conversations must move beyond who is excluded and toward why people withdraw. Healing, transparency, and better industry structures may be the only way to ensure that future projects like “Na So” are not reserved for just a few, but become pathways for many.

Until then, selectiveness will continue to look like silence and silence will continue to be misunderstood.