Being an Independent Artist can feel overwhelming at times, especially when a lot of the challenges thrown up by the industry are ones that you are navigating for the first time. I doesn't take long once you have some sort of presence on the web, streaming sites & social media for people to start approaching you with business propositions. Whilst a large number of these were very obviously scams and money grabs (which is another lesson for new Artists, often if it sounds too good to be true it is, and if someone is legitimate, they'll have credentials to back it up), you will find that genuine approaches will result as well.
I've been fortunate to have been approached by two relatively new startups, who I have now partnered with. I feel good about partnering with organisations that are growing, just like GROUND:FAULT:INTERRUPT is, and have an alignment of values. As both of us grow, we help the other to grow.
The first of the two is GYROstream. GYROstream is an Australian startup that specialises in music distribution, licensing and promotion. Once I performed background checks on GYROstream I was very excited to move my back catalogue across for them to look after. Dealing with an Australian organisation that is growing, is an exciting opportunity. I've found it very beneficial to have the support of their dedicated service team which are operating on the same time zone as me. Whenever I reach out there is always someone there to respond in a timely manner. I'm very happy with my decision, and will be looking to work with them further when it comes time to promote my new music. (https://www.gyrostream.com/)
The second is Musaic. Musaic is a very new startup based in Heidelberg, Germany. I first came across them through my association with Audius music. Audius featured them in a past a couple of months back, so I decided to try their free link-in-bio service. Musaic designs their services with Independent Musicians in mind. Their goals are around not just providing a service but also a community of like minded Independent Artists, keeping them free forever (only earning money on commission). They understand the challenges faced in the music industry today, and work to provide tools to help Artists monetise their work. As I was one of the early adopters of their service, they approached me to see if I was interested in selling merchandise through Musaic. The service was very easy to set up, and the items are only produced once ordered, so I didn't have to be burdened with purchasing stock on hand. I had complete control over the design process, and the range of items offered. Shipping is also looked after by Musaic. Another excellent opportunity that I'm fortunate to have come across. (https://musaic.bio/)
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