For the making of her new record, Moncton singer Naomi Striemer is hoping to get by with a little help from her fans. To help offset the tremendous costs associated with recording and releasing new music, Striemer has launched an online campaign to raise the funds needed to complete her upcoming record.
Though fundraising campaigns such as the one that Striemer has undertaken are becoming more and more common among independent artists, she admits that she was initially hesitant to launch her campaign.
“I was rather opposed to the idea for approximately two months before I finally came around,” the affable Striemer laughs. “I almost felt a little embarrassed to be coming forward to ask my fans for help in making a new record. I have always felt that music should be something fun and enjoyable and help serve as a retreat of sorts to the listener, and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to let my fans in on the financial side associated with getting new music released.
“But once I started thinking about it more, a number of people said that they didn’t feel that asking for help was akin to being a charity case or anything. Ultimately, I was reassured that fans are actually eager and excited to be able to have a hand in getting new music out.”
Fundraising efforts like Striemer’s, along with the recent campaign successfully undertaken by Moncton outlaw country band The Divorcees, actually serve to highlight the somewhat dire state of the music business these days. Many record companies are hesitant to invest too much money into new artists and are actually keener for artists to approach them with a completed project in hand.
Striemer says that approaching a label with a completed project with perhaps only a few tweaks being needed is an appealing thing to record labels these days.
“Record labels these days are funding one per cent to two per cent of what they used to fund. They say they don’t necessarily have the time, money and effort to put into recording artists anymore.”
Asked if she believes that campaigns such as hers will become the norm for musicians and artists’ moving forward, Striemer believes that it has already become a major force for bands to raise the necessary funds to keep things moving forward.
“I believe that another way of looking at a fundraising campaign like this one is that it really gives the artist the opportunity to see if the rubber is going to meet the road,” she says. “One way or the other as a musician, you are going to find out if you’ve chosen a valid career path. If people aren’t willing to stand behind you for a project like this, I believe that speaks volumes.
“But perhaps more importantly, if you have the talent and are someone that people believe in, you don’t have to have the ‘X factor’ star quality to make a new record. Campaigns like this end up being very telling about what you are doing.”
As of press time, Striemer has achieved approximately 20 per cent of her $20,000 target for her new record. With 17 days remaining in the 45-day campaign, Striemer is optimistic that she can reach her goal with the hopes of having the record released in the fall.
“The money that is raised via this campaign will go towards the costs of securing a producer, recording the record, mixing it, having the engineers in the studio to help. There are so many different components involved with making a record.
“My goal with this record is to make a record that is up to the music industry standard, using the same producers, musicians and engineers that record companies themselves are using. I really feel as though music has the ability to touch someone’s life and to know what I am creating is going to be with some people during the course of their life is a big thing. It is going to be a record talking about the journey of life and trying to make sense of the unanswered questions we have. This is something that is incredibly important to me.”
While any and all donations are certainly welcome, there are various rewards associated with donations of specific amounts. For instance, a $10 donation will get you a digital download of Striemer’s upcoming record while those donating $150 will receive copies of two of Striemer’s albums, two VIP concert tickets, dinner with Striemer as well as guest passes for two for admission to future concerts.
Naomi Striemer will be performing a concert at the Seventh Day Adventist Church Saturday evening. The show will serve as both a fundraising effort for her new record while also supporting ADRA, an independent humanitarian agency whose mission is to work with people in distress and poverty in order to create positive change.
To find out more regarding Striemer’s fundraising campaign or to lend your support, visit www.rockethub.com/projects/5201
Article published in March 9, 2012 edition of The Times & Transcript