A quick thought on crowdfunding

This week I received a much anticipated package. It was my FOUNDERS CD Pack from the Julien-K crowdfunding campaign for their new album Harmonic Disruptor. My story with this band goes back to 2007 when I saw them perform as the opening act for Evanescence in the Arena Monterrey. I was blown away by their music. I think it was the first time I had ever heard this genre: rock with heavy synths and industrial colors. And Ryan’s vocals perfectly embodied my favorite type of male voice: deep, yet light, and full of emotion. When I got home I immediately went online to look for more of their music. But to my surprise, it was very hard to find anything at all. I really wanted to buy a CD and get to know the band better, but I had no success searching in the record stores. I had to give up and buy some mp3s from iTunes. It’s is not bad, but I was used to looking at the CD booklets to get to know the concept of the band a little better, and I don’t have that on a digital purchase. Back then social media was not what it is today, so you could only follow your favorite artists by reading magazines, newspapers or watching TV shows. Fast forward to a couple of years ago, I’m finally following them on social media and they were launching their crowdfunding campaign for their new album. Ryan wrote an article (this one!) where he talked about how the band struggled in the past because of big issues with lots of “unsavory characters” from the music industry that made it impossible for the band to thrive and see some profit. (Before I go on, seriously, read Ryan’s essay, especially if you’re an indie artist!!) So, long story short Julien-K decided to carry on by doing everything by themselves (no music industry bloodsuckers) and now they are having great success financing their albums with crowdfunding in Indiegogo. Harmonic Disruptor was no exception. I was lucky to grab one of the last Founders CD pack, which consists of:

It put a huge smile on my face when I received it. One of the things I like about crowdfunding perks is that you feel as if you received a thoughtful gift (even though you paid for it). I find the experience of going into a record store and buying a CD a bit cold nowadays. Yes you’re supporting the artist but you don’t really know how much you actually helped them in their business with your purchase. But with crowdfunding you’re receiving something directly from the artists’ hands. It feels more personal, and you can see how your contribution helped them achieve their hard work. When you receive the final product, it’s as if the artist is saying to you ‘hey! we made this with your donation, thank you so much! Enjoy!’. And I think it’s a completely fair trade. You want music? Help us make it for you! Let me remind you that everything we do is an investment. Touring, merch tables, publicity, music videos, recording studios, distribution…it all costs money. It’s especially tough when you’re starting out because you’ll very likely not be seeing any important profit during the first months-year(s).

I’ve seen unsuccessful crowdfunding campaigns too, and it breaks my heart when they don’t achieve their goals. I’ve been learning a bit about music marketing through Indepreneur.io, and the process of building a fanbase takes time and effort and you can’t skip to the part where a follower makes its first purchase without first having built a good relationship. If they are not at that stage, it is very likely they won’t donate to your campaign. The music industry is constantly evolving and artists don’t really have a say in this, it’s the fans who have their hands on the wheel because they are the consumers.

At the end of the day, I believe that the relationship between an artist and a fan becomes stronger and more relevant when we’re able to bring support via crowdfunding. You are purchasing their work in advance, plus some added value (limited edition merch, signed copies, names on credits, etc.). I love supporting the projects I believe in; it’s so exciting when you see them succeed. So don’t miss out on the chance to help make a work of art become a reality. Remember it will last anywhere from a lifetime until forever!

That’s my perspective as a fan. But as an artist, it helped me a lot to see Julien-K’s success and reading Ryan’s experience (seriously, read the thing). I am just starting out, doing all the administrative decisions by myself (if it’s hard as a band, imagine as a solo artist). The road is not easy but these success stories remind me that it will be rewarding one day. Me receiving my Founders CD Pack not only means awesome new music, but also I’ll have it in my home studio as inspiration to keep working for my project to thrive.

Monica Lyrae
Composer, Songwriter, and a proud Julien-K fan