"Fred Again is only popular bc he grew up rich"
Sorry, do you not understand how hard it is to create a worldwide die-hard fanbase around your music?
If it was as easy as "have money & be connected", we'd have a new Fred Again delivered to us weekly by the major labels.
Launching superstars would be easy business.
Give us more credit than that.
Give artists more credit than that.
Do money & connections help?
Obviously.
The history of music & art is littered with nepo babies & trust fund kids who had the luxury of unlimited funds & world-famous uncles.
But it doesn't matter how much money or resources you have if you don't have "it". That special sauce. That undeniable thing that goes beyond you and lifts everybody together.
Money can't buy the ability to connect.
It never will.