🎙️ Why Rag’n’Bone Man Turned Down Big Money Deals—and Doesn’t Regret It

🖋️ A word from our editor…

One of my favourite things about this conversation with Rag’n’Bone Man is how calm and matter-of-fact he is about saying no. Not in a rebellious way. Not to make a point. Just because sometimes things don’t feel right, and that’s reason enough.

He talks about turning down brand deals that didn’t sit well with him. He passed on big TV gigs because he didn’t want to mime. He walked away from industry trends and expectations when they didn’t align with the kind of artist he wants to be. And none of it sounds dramatic. It just sounds like someone who’s clear on what matters.

I think we forget how powerful that can be. There’s so much pressure to say yes to everything, especially when you’re building a career. Say yes, be easy to work with, don’t miss your shot. But not every yes moves you forward. Sometimes it pulls you away from who you are and what you’re actually trying to build.

This interview is a great reminder that saying no doesn’t mean missing out. It means making space for the things that actually fit.

— Hao Nguyen, Editor

💰 “If I'm not into it, I'm not into it.”

In Rag’n’Bone Man’s recent interview on On the Record with Poppy Reid, the British singer shared how learning to say no—whether it’s to brand deals, fake industry hype, or even TV gigs—has been the quiet force behind his longevity.

At the height of his fame, offers flooded in: endorsements, collaborations, promo opportunities. But Rag’n’Bone Man passed on more than a few. One was a high-paying brand deal with a UK clothing label. The problem? He didn’t rate the brand. “They were going to pay me loads,” he said. “But I just thought, your clothes aren’t great. So I didn’t do it.”

It’s that kind of honesty that’s defined his career. From refusing to mime on TV—costing him gigs, at times—to walking away from industry norms that didn’t sit right, Rag’n’Bone Man has never chased approval. Instead, he’s stayed close to what feels real. Even Human, the global hit that launched him into the stratosphere, was a song he initially didn’t want to release first. But he trusted his label—and it worked.

Now three albums in, he’s still building slowly, intentionally. Songs sit on his laptop for years before he releases them. He’s not rushing. He’s not jumping at every headline. He’s choosing work that actually means something to him. For Rag’n’Bone Man, it’s not about saying yes to everything. It’s about knowing when to say no—and trusting that the right doors will still open.

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