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READY FOR THE MASQUERADE: Lelia Broussard
What better way for fans to show their support of an artist than by getting directly involved in the funding of an album? No need for labels, just let your fans donate to the cause and give them a little something in return.
That's the way that singer-songwriter Lelia Broussard was able to record and release her sophomore full-length album, Masquerade. She signed up on the site Kickstarter.com, which allows people to set a goal for fundraising for a project and rewards the people who donate.
Broussard received $15,620 through the donations of 356 people on the site. "Rewards" were given to people based on the amount that was pledged. For example, people who gave $5 received some photos and videos from the studio. Those who gave $25 got a digital download of the album before it was released. $100 got them a YouTube video and mp3 of a song of their request. For $1,500 they got an iPod with every song Broussard ever recorded.
"I was terrified," Broussard says of trying Kickstarter. "The way the website works is that you set a goal and if you don't reach the goal by a certain date, you get nothing. I was totally scared shitless that I wasn't gonna make my goal. It's an uncomfortable thing to ask fans for money, but it went better than I could have ever expected. The amount wasn't close to what I needed to make the record, but it helped."
Now that it's finished, she's excited about getting her latest collection of indie folk-pop songs into the hands of her fans.
"It feels so great to finally put it out, but as soon as I finished, I got the worst, like, postpartum depression," she says by phone on her way to a gig in Ventura, Calif. "'What do I do now?!' It felt really weird to be done with something that took up so much of my time, but now it feels great."
Broussard says the album was a bit therapeutic for her. While spending time involved with a publishing deal with Universal, she had the opportunity to learn a lot about the songwriting process via collaborations with pop stars and songwriters. She says that process can be awkward at times, "kind of like a first date," and she had her fair share of horrible and enjoyable experiences and learned that everyone has a different process for writing.
When she left that deal, it was a chance for her to go back to being alone and work things out on her own. The result is having written the majority of the songs on Masquerade.
"I think that in life, we're always developing and learning about ourselves and changing," she says. "I definitely feel like I'm still growing as a songwriter and musician."
Broussard has never had a record deal and thinks with enough hard work, the Internet has afforded musicians with a great way to get their name and music out to the masses.
"You can do it yourself and don't have to do the conventional things you had to do before," she says. "There are so many more avenues for independent artists than there were five years ago. I've been able to make a living by doing this and touring and releasing my music online and at my shows. I think if you're savvy at the Internet and work your ass off, it can pay off. Some days are harder than others, but it's like that way with anything if you want to be successful."
As for making her music stand out, her philosophy is simple. "I don't want to compare myself to other artists. There are so many people out there doing great things," Broussard says. "I want to write great songs, give a great live performance and be original in my thoughts and do what I can to separate myself from other artists. I just don't overthink it where I worry about being different from everyone else. I just do what I do."
Lelia Broussard
With Bess Rogers and Eric-Scott Guthrie. $8. 8 p.m. Dec. 4. The Evening Muse. www.theeveningmuse.com
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