This week I watched Amanda Palmer’s Ted Talk titled ‘The Art of Asking’. I found the story told interesting and relatable. I had no idea that before The Dresden Dolls took off she was performing as a street artist and remember listening to her band during my 1st and 2nd years of undergrad (circa 2006-07). It’s been some time so absolutely a nice reminder of times long ago. Yet I cannot recall how I found them back then to begin with. I know I bought their album on iTunes (when that first launched for protected music) but can’t place timeframe/situation of how I became aquatinted with the sounds of The Dresden Dolls.
I found Amanda’s perspective of trust something very unfamiliar, yet something I aspire to feel — finding myself in odd predicaments throughout my life, it’s hard to imagine what she has chosen to experience while taking these experiments with the public. Sure, as she states not all people treat her well or say pleasant things. But the ones that due are why she does what she does. It’s in the moments of connection that she finds her value and true purpose for playing — the exchange of gratitude that her fans provide.
When it came down to numbers with her record label, they were not pleased with her numbers and chose to shame her/band for not being successful under their measures of their defined success, she found a way out of her contract and crowd sourced with the intention of providing her music for free yet asked for support to create her music. Even though about the same amount of people who bought her album (under the label) she still made about 50 times more in donations just for asking.
Her authenticity and trust in her fans as well as the learning that she’s experienced throughout her life has made her the motivating factor in others’ lives. She shares her truth, her art, and most importantly who she is with her fans, making that connection so much more deep and meaningful — even resulting in enough money to fund her life and career in the most colorful ways.
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