About becoming a Patron
My work is supported by the generous commitment of a number of people who have decided to become Patreon Supporters (or Patrons).
What you get for becoming a Patron:
Behind the scenes access
A zoom call a month where we can all face to face chat about the happenings and plans of my music (amongst other things)
Free downloads of music including freshly written draft versions of brand new songs (some of which will never be seen by the general public eye)
Free downloads of acoustic versions of my songs
Access to a patron only facebook group where I update what I am working on and get your input on what you would like me to create
Names in credits of videos etc - each tier currently has different levels
Social media shout outs
Lots of other things that I am working on building and creating plus the general pride in knowing that you’re a massive part in this journey with me.
What having patrons does for me as an artist:
Holds me accountable to a group of people who are eager to see my work actually come to fruition
Helps me to finance the creation of music and get it out - here’s a quick list of things that cost me currently:
equipment (last month alone I needed to replace a PA system worth about $1600)
audio visual equipment (these things need to be replaced and with the movement into online performances extra cables, connecters and recording gidgets cost me about $500)
website hosting (I do most things myself, which costs time, but the hosting and domain name cost about $500 a year)
recording (again, I can do a bit of stuff myself but in order to put a track into a radio style format instead of just acoustic I need to hire a producer and sometimes studio musicians) you’re looking at roughly $1200 - $1500 a track
publicist costs (if I don’t pay my publicist she doesn’t get to eat either - but also no radio stations would receive my work - this is a HUGE job and believe me I’ve tried to do it myself and it’s next to impossible - Bec earns every cent). So far this year the costs have been about $2,200
art work and photography (each cover requires its own art, or photography). For a physical CD art work will cost about $500 - $800 depending on how much I can do myself or get done cheaply.
Videography and art work - (film clips cost shit tonnes of money) in 2020 I’ve spent nearly $4000
This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many other hidden costs you wouldn’t think of. In the last financial year the costs were around $18,000 versus my return via streaming which was less than $50.
This doesn’t factor in the time that I spend. Currently I work in my ‘business’ as a songwriter around 40 hours a week. This doesn’t include studying music business (which allows me to receive financial support as a student). I don’t draw a wage from music yet because there isn’t one. I would need roughly 500 patrons at $10 a month to be on minimum wages from music once you take out the music costs. Currently that number is 32. Only 468 to go.
Having patrons is the only business model that seems to be viable for me as an independent singer-songwriter. I’ve thought this out. I’ve tossed around every idea you can imagine. I can’t tour like I used to; I have fibromyalgia and the physical demands are unsustainable. I can tour, but touring isn't as profitable if you’re not on the road every single week doing three gigs a weekend. Even then, the most I grossed was $48,000 (take out the expenses and we’re back to about $18,000).
Having patrons also reminds me that people care enough about my work that it’s important to them. Sometimes that’s the very thing that keeps me going. I know someone really wants to hear what I’m working on.
What having patrons does for me as a human:
Having patrons currently only pays for music related things. I teach to add to that. I’m on student payments to cover living costs. I had a job in retail but that was gone as soon as corona hit. If I can grow my Patreon base then I will be able to support myself by creating music and I will have the time to write more, to record more and to put more music out into the world. Having a song on radio or on Spotify or Apple Music doesn’t equate to even close to even paying for the production of that music. So this is a ‘business’ that currently runs at a giant loss. The only way for me to turn what I do into a viable, sustainable living is through the support of my fans. I don’t need to be a billionaire. I have no desire to get rich from this - I would just love to be able to do what I am good at in a way that means I don’t have to struggle financially or spend all my time working another job that leaves me no time to write and record and create. I believe in the importance of music and I also know deeply in my bones that my music has made a difference in the lives of many people, some of which can’t afford to become patrons. So this doesn’t just mean that you support my music - this means that you’re supporting me, as a person doing my absolute best to make a living doing what I believe is important - but I will always try and make sure that it is never money wasted - that you get to see where the work has been put in, and you get to enjoy the fruits of that labour and sit back listening to my new songs knowing that it’s because of you and people like you that I had the time to write it, record it, and put it out into the world.