http://www.charlotteeriksson.com/supportme
We’re not so different you and I. We’re both just trying to find our way and get something out of this life we’ve been given. Some people find it, some people don’t. I’ve been through things, seen things and felt things that I wish I could erase, but still I consider myself lucky. Because I found a reason to breathe. A reason to believe. I found music.
The way it gives me heaven for some hours, the way it makes everything beautiful - even though it might not be. The way I can write my life in a better way, in the way that I want to remember it, and how I lose my fears and worries when I sing. And most of all, how I left everything I’d built for 19 years, and found my home in my art.
There wasn’t a lot of people who supported me when I found music and decided that I wanted to spend my life doing it. The fact that I live on my friends’ floors because I can’t afford my own place, that I some days can’t afford dinner, that it’s expensive to record, produce, print CDs, buy instruments and equipment and tour, is just another reason for family and friends to not support you in this. But - I don’t know if you’ve found that yet, that one thing that you were born to do. That one thing that makes everything else disappear. That one thing that makes you wanna go up every morning. I have, and I will never ever let anything or anyone take that away from me. The music industry today is the devil’s game. To afford touring and releasing high-standard albums you need money. I’ve told this story before but:
Before I decided to start my own record label, release my first EP and do everything on my own, I went to some meetings with “industry experts”, labels and managers. I didn’t know a lot about the business-part, or what it takes to get your music out. All I knew was that I had all those thoughts and unspoken words within me that I needed to tell. All those meetings, talks and dinners ended the same way - a bold guy in costume telling me to dress more sexy, act more mature and write more simple pop-songs. Basically change so that it fits into their little box.
He told me how I could be on all the covers and in all the big magazine, and when I asked how, he said ‘because we have the money and we can pay for your success’. I still remember that choking panic in my chest when I mumbled that that’s not me and that I believe in music and that if I write clear and loud enough about what I feel than maybe other people out there will hear me and understand and maybe even let me know that I’m not alone in feeling those things. I rambled the whole thing about being true to myself, doing things in my way and not compromising myself, and then the bold guy called me ‘honey’ and something about being immature and not knowing the business, and then I ran out with an ocean of choking tears in my throat, promising myself to never be in contact with those people again. Those people who don’t care about music anymore, who don’t know how music can change a life, and has saved mine.
This is how it works, but music means too much to me to ever give up my belief that it’s bigger than status, money or who’s got the contacts. And after a couple of those bold guys is suite, I decided that until the last breath of my life, I would live to prove them wrong. To prove to them that I can do this on my own without their money. That I will show the world that music can still connect and change lives, without a mainstream company that pays for it. That is what makes me keep pushing some days, when I doubt myself, that I will never let them win. I will never sit down and admit that they were right.
For those of you who’s gotten to know me through my blog, twitter, facebook or anywhere else, you know that I aim higher than what’s in my reach with everything I do, because the only way to realize your full potential is to reach beyond it, right? I have tons of goals and dreams this year, but the two main-goals are to produce, record and release my first full-length, and to go on my first tour. I’ve talked about these goals for a long time now and you’ve all been so supportive, writing beautiful motivational words and you’re the reason to why I’ve kept pushing for this, even though everyone else told me that getting a tour together, and producing&recording my album myself was just not achievable of me.
Since I started to connect with you on the internet, I don’t feel like I’m doing this myself anymore. I’ve said it before, but we’re in this together. I could never do what I’m doing today if it wasn’t for you. Both because of how you inspire me everyday to not give up, but also for you support by buying my music and spreading the word about our existence. It’s us against the world. And we have a message to tell.
I’m a firm believer that you can get everything you want with determination, but I really really need your help to make this possible. We’re all in this together, and I think we can achieve great things together, and show the world what real music and passion is all about.
Now you might ask, why I don’t use sites like Kickstarted or PledgeMusic for this, since it’s exactly the same? Well, if you are so amazing that you want to support me, I want you to know exactly where your money will go, and with companies like these, 15% of your donation will go straight to them. That’s the ugly naked truth. This way the money will stay between us, with no middle hands. But just like it works on those sites, I will give you rewards for the amount you donate and the whole list is here below.
I still feel very uncomfortable about everything that has to do with money, but I hope you understand that to make this dream come true, I need your support. You’re the reason to why I can do this, and to why I WANT to do this.
So how this will work is basically: Be creative! You can donate any kind of amount you want, and every little bit matters! If you want something specific that’s not on the list below, send me a message and suggest it and I might add it! When you make your donation make sure to write which reward you want, if you choose to go after the reward-list, but you don’t have to. :)
http://www.charlotteeriksson.com/supportme
Here’s what the money will go to:
1. Tour-support for my first UK-tour this spring!
2. Equipment + studio-time for the recording of my full-length.
3. Printing of physical CDs of my full-length.
http://www.charlotteeriksson.com/supportme
*******************************************
10£ - 19£ - Your name on the ”this-is-possible-thanks-to” - page on my webbsite!
20£ - Handwritten lyric sheet of your choice + ’the Glass Child’ wristband.
30£ - Livestreamed concert later this spring.
35£ - Youtube-cover of your choice, dedicated to you!
40£ - ’the Glass Child wristband’ + handwritten lyric-sheet of your choice + live-streamed concert.
50£ - All of the above + physical signed CD of This Is How Ghosts Are Made + handwritten letter.
60£ - Digital download of my whole discography including ’debut-EP’, ’This Is How hosts Are Made’, ’Songs of an Insomniac’ + physical signed copy of This Is How Ghosts Are Made + wristband + live streamed concert + handwritten letter.
60£ - Private vocal-lesson or songwriting-help/support through skype 20 min.
80£ - Digital download of my whole discography including ’debut-EP’, ’This Is How hosts Are Made’, ’Songs of an Insomniac’ + physical signed copy of This Is How Ghosts Are Made + wristband + live streamed concert + youtube-cover of your choice!
90£ - Digital download of my whole discography + wristband + handwritten lyric sheet of your choice + live-streamed concert + 15 min skype-chat with me about everything and anything, you can ask me whatever you want and I’ll play a little song for you in the end.
100£ - Signed physical CDs of my debut-EP & This Is How Ghosts Are Made + handwritten lyric-sheet of your choice + wristband + live-streamed concert + digital download of my full-length ’I’d like to remain a mystery’ when it’s finished but before it’s released.
100£ - Digital download of my whole discography + wristband + a skypechat/ 20 min vocal lesson / songwriting help through skype.
200£ - A song written to and for you! You’ll get to write me a letter about yourself, something you’ve been through or a person you want this song to be about - basically anything you want the song to be about!
400 - My whole physical discography, signed + handwritten lyric-sheet of your choice + wristband + digital & physical CD of my full-length ’I’d like to remain a mystery’ when it’s finished AND YOUR NAME IN THE ALBUM-CREDITS.
500£ - My whole physical discography, signed + handwritten lyric-sheet of your choice, wristband, youtube-cover of your choice dedicated to you + 20 min skype-chat/vocal-lesson/songwriting-support through skype + digital download & the physical CD of my full-length before it’s released + YOUR NAME IN THE ALBUM-CREDIT
1000£ - Acoustic house-concert or wedding concert (europe only) ( your donation will go to the travel-cost etc)
Here’s a little list of other things you can do to support and tell the world about our existence!:
- Tell all your friends, brother, sisters, family and enemies about my music.
- Share my youtube-videos/links/posts on facebook, twitter, tumblr and everywhere else.
- Buy my music and merch.
- Be who you are and dare to go after your dream with me
http://www.charlotteeriksson.com/supportme
