Musician Activism: Amanda Palmer And The Art of Asking

Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

Yes, Amanda Palmer you’re right! We musicians need to know the art of asking. It’s our job to ask questions. Without questions no communication…no “real” life! Ignorance would take over business in life which would lead to life’s death.

Amanda is a good example of how a musician “can make it in music business.” She proved and still proves that a musician with common sense, knowledge (of music business), courage (to break rules and not to listen to people who want to stop you to do your “thing”), passion (for your music) and being a leader (who has the ability to listen to people and motivating them to collaborate with her), can achieve the impossible and become successful.

What has worked for her out doesn’t mean that it would work for any musician. But in order to achieve financial and artistic success you need all the characteristics she has. How to use them is your cup of tea.

In the video below Amanda who raised over a million dollars on Kickstarter, talks about building trust between artist and audience, and how “to ask for help without a sense of shame ruining your ability to forge real human connections.”

Amanda is not just a musician but also a music activist. She loves music and wants to share her love for music with others. We need more musicians like her to make the public understand that we musicians “work” for our music and should be treated in the same way like other working people. We should have the same rights and should be paid under the same conditions. Sometimes even more like doctors, consultants, priests, politicians…

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