The art of asking | Amanda Palmer

Summary

In this engaging talk, Amanda Palmer shares her journey from being an 'Eight-Foot Bride' living statue to a successful musician, emphasizing the power of direct connection with her audience. She recounts her experiences with couchsurfing, crowdsourcing, and crowdfunding, illustrating the profound impact of trust and community on her career. Palmer challenges the traditional music industry model, advocating for a more personal and supportive relationship with fans, and encouraging artists to embrace vulnerability and ask for help without shame.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The speaker, Amanda Palmer, initially made a living as a living statue called the Eight-Foot Bride, which allowed her profound encounters with people, especially the lonely.
• 👀 Through her statue performances, she experienced a deep connection with passersby, exchanging eye contact that conveyed gratitude and recognition.
• 💸 Despite the unconventional nature of her job, Amanda made a consistent income, which surprised her given the unpredictability of street performance.
• 🎼 Amanda's music career began with local performances and eventually led to signing with a major label, highlighting her journey from street performer to professional musician.
• 🤝 She valued the direct connection with her audience and made efforts to maintain this connection, even as her band, the Dresden Dolls, gained popularity.
• 🌐 The advent of Twitter allowed Amanda to strengthen her connection with fans, enabling instant requests for help and support, which often led to heartwarming interactions.
• 🏡 Amanda embraced couchsurfing, which brought her into close contact with fans and locals, fostering a sense of community and shared experiences.
• 🎉 She experimented with crowdsourcing and crowdfunding, ultimately raising over $1.2 million for her project with the Grand Theft Orchestra, demonstrating the power of community support.
• 🤔 Amanda faced criticism for her crowdsourcing practices, which some viewed as begging, but she defended the mutual benefits and fair exchange between her and her fans.
• 💬 She emphasizes the importance of asking for help without shame, arguing that it is through asking that artists can truly connect with their audience and receive the support they need.
• 🔄 The speaker suggests that the music industry should focus on how to let people pay for music, rather than how to make them pay, reflecting a shift towards a more open and trusting relationship with fans.

Q & A

What was Amanda Palmer's day job before she became a full-time musician?

Before becoming a full-time musician, Amanda Palmer worked as a self-employed living statue called the Eight-Foot Bride.

How did Amanda Palmer describe her experience as a living statue?

Amanda Palmer described her experience as a living statue as profound, especially in encounters with lonely people, where she would have moments of prolonged eye contact and connection.

What was the consistent income Amanda Palmer made as a living statue?

Amanda Palmer made a predictable income as a living statue, earning about 60 dollars on a Tuesday and 90 dollars on a Friday.

How did Amanda Palmer's experience as a living statue prepare her for the music business?

Amanda Palmer's experience as a living statue taught her about direct connection with people, which she valued and maintained even as her music career grew.

What was the name of Amanda Palmer's band, and what was her role in it?

Amanda Palmer's band was called the Dresden Dolls, and she played the piano, wrote songs, and was part of the duo with a genius drummer.

How did Amanda Palmer maintain a direct connection with her fans after becoming a musician?

Amanda Palmer maintained a direct connection with her fans by signing autographs, hugging fans, hanging out, and talking to people after shows, and by involving local musicians and artists in her performances.

How did social media, like Twitter, enhance Amanda Palmer's connection with her fans?

Social media platforms allowed Amanda Palmer to instantly ask for anything anywhere, which led to fans providing her with resources like pianos to practice on, home-cooked meals, and even hosting last-minute gigs.

What was Amanda Palmer's reaction to her record label considering the sale of 25,000 copies as a failure?

Amanda Palmer was surprised and disagreed with her record label's assessment of 25,000 copies sold as a failure, leading her to reconsider the traditional music industry model.

Why did Amanda Palmer decide to give away her music for free online?

Amanda Palmer decided to give away her music for free online to maintain a direct connection with her fans and to allow them to access her music, inspired by the support she received on the street.

What was the outcome of Amanda Palmer's crowdfunding campaign for her project with the Grand Theft Orchestra?

Amanda Palmer's crowdfunding campaign for her project with the Grand Theft Orchestra was highly successful, raising nearly 1.2 million dollars, which was the largest music crowdfunding project at the time.

How did Amanda Palmer respond to criticism about her crowdsourcing practices after her Kickstarter campaign?

Amanda Palmer defended her crowdsourcing practices, arguing that the connection and trust she had built with her fans made the exchange fair and valuable to both parties.

What is Amanda Palmer's perspective on the role of artists and musicians in the community?

Amanda Palmer believes that artists and musicians should be part of the community as connectors and openers, not as untouchable stars, and that the internet is helping to facilitate this closer connection.

What question does Amanda Palmer propose we should ask instead of 'How do we make people pay for music?'

Amanda Palmer suggests we should ask 'How do we let people pay for music?', emphasizing the importance of allowing and enabling fans to support artists in ways that are meaningful to them.