OMG...how AWFUL is THIS?! I almost contributed funds to Pledge Music for the next S.O.S. Band album. Glad I changed my mind.

This is the reality of any record deal: Major investment into recording music, photography and video before a project is even released HOPING to make it back.

Welp, if you pledged money to sponsor a future project, it's still you that lost, not the artist.

This gal could go ahead and create whatever she wants but she needs an album sleeve at very least which probably requires some professional photography and stylist.

P was right about that slave shit.

This was happening for a bit now, got a long message from singer/songwriter indie artist Anna Nalick who did a long campaign through Pledge for her 2017 album "At Now" but ironically this is the third time she has been screwed, once after her "Breathe" song was a hit and the label wanted another single, and then created a fan/made type video, she complained about it and told them to pull it by they not only pulled the fan made video, they pulled her song of radio which was rising quickly so she disappeared literally, Second was a recent issue of identity theft, HUGE amount of stolen $, then last but not least was this. Now this is not so much the platform going bankrupt, its more about them never delivering the money pledged, they are theives pretty much, a lot of off shore "accounts" in this fund raising platform, so basically everything Anna did she had to fund out of pocket and never got paid for, basically the last few years she has been touring all over the states mostly east coast doing smaller venues, meet and greets to keep the cash flow to stay alive, she joked at a receent show that she has her friends streaming "Breathe" 10,000 times so she can buy groceries, sounds funny, but honestly thats about 10,000 streams will get you if you are lucky.

Cinny said:

This is the reality of any record deal: Major investment into recording music, photography and video before a project is even released HOPING to make it back.

Welp, if you pledged money to sponsor a future project, it's still you that lost, not the artist.

This gal could go ahead and create whatever she wants but she needs an album sleeve at very least which probably requires some professional photography and stylist.

Actually the artists in some of these cases lost depending on where they were with projects, as I mentioned in my post hearing and speaking with singer/songrwriter Anna Nalick she had to pay out of pocket to do her record, and the funding never got to her and also the giveaways that most of the aritsts do for pledge amounts Anna was doing these art creative things for fans and that also came out of her pocket, money never found its way to her. Which is why I think the term "bankrupt" is misleading here becuase Pledge was not paying people what they were pledged and simply finally got caught and now anyone with something in production its just lost

Boo fucking hoo.

If you saw a veteran artist's royalty statements, you would wonder why they weren't all independent.

Cinny said:

dianebirch

Putting the final touches on songs as I prepare to finish recording the album next week in Wales at @monnowvalleystudio ! Yes it’s true and rather surreal after so much time in a holding pattern. It seems my test in life is patience. What is it here to teach me? And how do we hold the love for something when it often feels like a light flickering in and out? Perhaps sometimes it’s less about what you create and more about how hard you’re prepared to fight for it even when you feel like a stranger to your own art. Full understanding of one’s creation is maybe a luxury not intended for the creator. All my life I’ve followed an unknown flame and the only times I’ve gone astray is when I’ve questioned my value to this world. Perhaps the stall, the Pledge money lost, comes as a gentle reminder that I’m not here to take but simply here to give and until I give that part up, I will always be fighting the wrong battle. So I sit here in my familiar confusion only sure of one thing. My unwavering dedication to my craft no matter how many times I get it wrong. I have many angels by my side and always humbled by the doors that open when I finally open my eyes. In gratitude and servitude #yourstruly

JoeBala said:

This is so sad. Diane Birch lost all her funding for her new record. https://m.facebook.com/st...3151215305 This happened two months ago and today is the first I hear of this. If this was posted before I apologize. https://pitchfork.com/the...llions/amp - - - - - [Edited 7/8/19 18:11pm]

I just heard about this in a podcast last night--was so surprised...and saddened. It was a great idea ruined by greed and lack of oversight.