Amanda Palmer on Crowdfunding and Songwriting at SXSW 2019 [Video]

At SXSW 2019, songwriter and Dresden Dolls member, Amanda Palmer, spoke about the benefits of self-releasing, how crowd-funding music can greatly benefit artists trying to maintain the integrity of their work, and more.

Palmer’s appearance at SXSW 2019 coincided with the March 8 release of her latest LP There Will Be No Intermission. The critically acclaimed songwriter discussed the breadth of topics in her recent work, including miscarriage, rape, and motherhood, and emphasized that these types of songs – songs that are true to herself as an artist – are extremely difficult to release through the structure of major labels. Palmer insists these types of songs are vital to release because they are medicinal to the listeners who are in need. At the conclusion of the story of how she was able to get her label to release her from her contract, she said, “For the first time in my life I could write about anything I wanted.”

“Not every song is your personal medicine. Just because a song doesn’t make you feel something, doesn’t mean that you delegitimize that medicine.” - Amanda Palmer

Palmer then goes in depth on her experiences with Patreon, which enables artists to receive funds from fans directly in what are usually small monthly subscription payments of a few dollars, and advocates for other artists to work with the company. Palmer’s Featured Session is optimistic about the financial future for musicians who turn to crowdfunding to support their careers.

Watch the entire Featured Session with Amanda Palmer as well as more SXSW 2019 videos from Conference, Featured Speakers, and Keynotes on our YouTube channel.

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Amanda Palmer - Photo by Lauren Simpson