Adina Howard’s hit song “Freak Like Me” became one of the defining records of her career, but the singer says its success never resulted in a royalty check for her. Released in 1995, the song climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped her debut album achieve platinum status.

Despite the song’s popularity and lasting recognition, Howard says she has never received a royalty payment from the record. Her claim highlights a complicated side of the music industry that many listeners may not realize exists: a successful song does not always mean the performing artist personally receives substantial royalty income.

Under some recording contracts, artists must first recoup advances and expenses connected to recording, music videos and other costs before royalties become payable to them. As a result, a record can generate significant revenue while an artist’s royalty account remains unrecouped and produces no actual checks.

For Howard, “Freak Like Me” helped launch her career and remains her signature song more than three decades later. Yet according to the singer, the track that brought her widespread fame still has not directly put a royalty check in her hands. Her story illustrates how complicated recording agreements and recoupment rules can affect artists long after a hit has become successful.