Any musician knows that talent only gets you halfway toward the path to success. Without supporters and fans, a musician could not possibly sustain oneself in the industry.

 

So is the case of singer/songwriter Mia Kim, creator of The Sukey Rose Project (www.sukeyrose.com), a website that serves as a fundraising tool and forum. The main mission of the project is to raise 100 percent of necessary funds through indie music supporters so that the album is truly made by the fans, for the fans. Her goal is to acquire at least $15,000 from presales and donations. So far, she’s more than a third of the way there.

 

Why did you decide to turn to fans to help fund your album? 

The Sukey Rose Project is something I wanted to do that could symbolize a group of people achieving something creatively that I could never achieve alone. I cannot tell you how liberating, encouraging and humbling it’s been to say, “I can’t do this by myself! Can anyone help?” and to have even complete strangers say they support my music and the vision of the project.

 

How’d you get the idea? 

I was initially inspired by [musician] Jill Sobule, who raised $80,000 through fans and supporters to record her next album. But it wasn’t as much the money but the beauty of not just 10, not just 20 or 50, but hundreds of people coming together to bless another human being and help her create meaningful art. 

 

Did you fear that people might think it’s tacky? 

Not at all! I think it’s a testament to the changing music industry. Right now, with the state of the music industry being in such transition, independent/unsigned artists really need to rely on their fans for support to continue making music. At the end of the day, everyone gets to be part of an innovative, collaborative project and walk away with a great CD to boot!