PIZACATO Puts Fair Artist Compensation In Hands Of Fans
PIZICATO is a newly launched digital donation website connecting fans with their favorite musicians, enabling them to send untaxed donations to help compensate artists by directly funding the music they love.
A play on a technique string players use to pluck the string instead of traditional bowing, PIZICATO aims to provide fans with an alternative to the traditional, currently broken model the current music industry has fallen victim to by creating a platform where fans can directly fund the artists they know and love. PIZICATO removes the middle man, proposing a new industry model by offering a different, fan-initiated approach to crowdfunding.
“Being a lifelong music fan, I am very excited about how easy it has become to listen to my favorite music and discover new artists through online streaming sites. However, I am disappointed with how these changes have impacted the way artists are compensated,” explained Jeff Storm, longtime entrepreneur and co-founder of PIZICATO. “Music is such a personal, visceral experience and some of it resonates so deeply that I’d like to personally say thank you to the artists and share how they’ve impacted my life. We believe PIZICATO is a new way to make a difference.”
PIZICATO has employed the use of Facebook's API to connect fans to their favorite artists and their Facebook pages, creating a direct link for donations through PayPal. With 82% of all donations going straight to the artists, PIZICATO was transparent about the other 18%, saying their cut will be allocated for PayPal fees and other operational costs.
“It has never been a better time to be a music fan. Music streaming, video uploads, online music stores are available, but these advances also create a certain digital devaluation of the artists’ talent. Music needs to be more sustainable and we believe that PIZICATO is that solution,” said Jeano Erforth, Storm’s business partner, fellow successful entrepreneur and PIZICATO co-founder. “Through PIZICATO, artists can begin making ends meet again, collect enough donations to produce an entirely fan-funded album or even a full tour schedule. The PIZICATO revolution is the solution so that musicians can continue being musicians instead of taking day jobs. It’s the new way fans can directly influence and contribute to the music they love. PIZICATO is going to change everything.”
By putting the power to fairly compensate artists in the hands of fans, PIZACATO hopes their proposed industry model will take root, allowing artists and the fans that support them to build and support a sustainable industry for all. – Laura Schneider
I don’t get it. What’s the point of this?? I checked PIZICATO’s website, they say, if I’m an artist I need to set a PAYPAL account to get donations… and then ask my fans to give donations through Pizicato… why the f.ck would I do that? Instead of asking my fans to donate DIRECTLY to my Paypal??? I mean, really… WTF?
It seems like they are collecting donations for artists that haven’t signed up for their service, is that what’s happening? If so, is it ethical?