SINGAPORE, Nov 2 — The music industry is in peril. At least, that’s what American crooner Richard Marx thinks. The 52-year-old multi-hyphenate artiste said it is getting increasingly tough to eke out a living in the industry now, compared to in the 1980s, when he first kickstarted his career.

“I worry for young, up-and-coming songwriters,” said the singer-songwriter-producer in an email interview with TODAY ahead of his November 9 gig.

“Thanks to streaming sites and YouTube, it’s become very difficult to make a living writing songs. I’m very grateful I have a long list of hits I can play out on tour, but making new albums and releasing new music are almost not worth the time and expense,” he said.

Marx got his big break at 17 when Lionel Richie heard his demo tape and invited him to contribute backing vocals to his first two solo albums. Seven years later, his self-titled debut album garnered four hit singles, including “Don’t Mean Nothing” and “Hold on to the Nights.” His 1989 follow-up album Repeat Offender topped the charts and went quadruple-platinum with two hit singles Satisfied and — what is probably his most famous tune — “Right Here Waiting.” He has since gone to sell more than 30 million albums worldwide.

Beyond singing, Marx has also written and produced several hits for other artistes, such as NSYNC’s hit song “This I Promise You” and Josh Groban’s “To Where You Are.”

But Marx is sceptical about whether newcomers will be able to enjoy that kind of success, given current challenges. “No one knows where our industry is headed. Sadly, it seems that people are less passionate about new music, and certainly less interested in buying it,” he noted.

However, Marx, who doesn’t look a day over 45, is still going strong, although his music direction has shifted somewhat. While his old albums were typically known for their sappy ballads, his newest album — his eighth — is deliberately more sensual.

Beautiful Goodbye, which was released last year, features brand-new material, including the lead single “Whatever We Started.”

Marx said he always tries to create different things and alter his sound. “I’m not interested in repeating myself. And especially after several years in between albums, I wanted to come out with something I felt was different than before,” he said. “I wanted to create the sexiest album I could make.”

Does he feel pressured to keep up with the same level of success as his earlier years? Not at all, replied Marx.

“I’m extremely grateful for all the hits along the way, and that I’m still so prolific. But I’m at a point where I’m doing things for fun and enjoying my life, and not competing with anyone, including myself.”

Fans heading to his show can expect a “very intimate and interactive” performance, as Marx is planning on doing it solo and acoustically. “If someone yells out a request, I’ll give it a go — though it’d be nice if they yelled out one of my songs and not a Lady Gaga hit,” he joked.

And yes, we had to ask: Does he get tired of “Right Here Waiting” jokes?

“Mostly the ones I make myself,” he quipped. “When the person I’m with says ‘I’m going to the restroom’; I usually say, ‘Okay, I’ll be right here waiting for you’. (I’m) not aware of (other) jokes about my songs, but any jokes about my old hairstyle are well-deserved!” — TODAY

*Richard Marx performs on November 9 at The Star Theatre. Tickets from S$88 (RM270) to S$168 from SISTIC.