CREDIT: Kimberly Reid
Final Thoughts?
MD: While the industry itself will keep chugging along, I feel COVID has severely affected the artists that are still honing their acts and cutting their teeth. The ones that have yet to break into the industry, the independent artists that have protected themselves from unreasonable contracts with labels or brands, are now without the real-world school of music, meaning live performing. We have lost too many talented artists and small venues due to COVID. Even with all the online capabilities and marketing, almost all of my bookings had been from performing in person. A brief interaction while busking once got us a gig in Italy, so I feel I owe everything to the street playing. I just don’t see digital busking providing that same emotional connection you get in person.