Credit – Flickr user wonderferret (https://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderferret/246013439/)

So, last fall there was a lot of buzz surrounding this little ska band out of Colorado named Five Iron Frenzy.  This buzz was such that after a brilliant online marketing campaign, they announced their reunion and subsequent Kickstarter crowdfunding effort to raise money for their reunion.  They set an all time record of $207, 980 raised, several times their goal.  Who could dethrone the undead ska kings? Look no further than Amanda Palmer.

Ska alone is a genre that many would consider one with a niche following.  So Amanda Palmer must have even wider appeal to dethrone Five Iron Frenzy right? Surely that must mean she’s the next big pop star!  Wrong.  A quick visit to her Facebook fanpage reveals her genre of choice as “cabaret punk.” Huh? A glance at the “About” section reveals her to be a self-procliamed “Piano-slayer, ukulele-freak, singer, blogger, lover, and co-founder of the brechtian punk cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls.”  OH! The Dresden Dolls I’ve heard of – I think.  Piano slayer and ukelele-freak I can understand, at least.

So how much did this gal raise on Kickstarter?  Oh, a mere $437,000 in 72 hours.  WHAT!   You mean some singer this blogger has never heard of is capable of raising almost a half million bucks in 3 days? Ain’t the internet remarkable?  Read more about it here or see for yourself at her Kickstarter page.

First though, here are some highlights of her campaign.  She personifies the trend I’ve noticed of artists needing to think creatively to succeed.

• Commissioned 30+ artists for an accompanying art book
• Will be touring in both acoustic and plugged in formats
• Backing your city ensures getting into a tour-stop there
• Takes advantage of Loanspark Collective, loan free method of financial backing meant for those financially blessed (hint hint – being financially savvy and creative is a big plus!)

Her mission with this project is perhaps best summed up in this statement from the kickstarter page:

while i can’t force you to listen to it on a certain type of media, at a certain time of day, with a special pair of headphones, with a certain flavor of incense burning while you consume a very specific whiskey…i CAN make sure that what you get in your mailbox containing said music is as badass, fancy, and gorgeous as possible.

This attitude, more than anything, explains her success.  That’s why Amanda Palmer is a name to remember.