Overcoming My Main Fear About Music in the Metaverse

I’m committed to utilizing any existing tools that enable me to keep living my dream and offering my voice through music. For music artists, it's becoming more and more difficult to evade the rise of web3 as a viable tool to distribute music, maintain ownership, and connect with supporters. It's hard to ignore the potential financial benefits, as well. Before I started dropping NFTs I had questions and trepidation. I've answered some of those questions. Some remain. And my participation in the web3 space has assuaged most of the trepidation.

What I feared most was what felt like a declining significance of music performance in real life (or IRL).

This is not to be confused with live performance. Virtual live performances exist. And they have their place. I've witnessed and have participated in some really imaginative Instagram Live experiences, YouTube concerts, and Twitch sets. But, in truth, I've been discouraged by the acquiescence to virtual-only music performances. As an artist, I feel most alive when I'm on stage in the same physical space with other humans. To me, there's nothing like the magnetic transfer of energy between an entranced music performer and an engaged, in-person audience. Surely, the metaverse offers an alternative way for fans to experience a live show. And there's so much we, artists, can do with virtual reality. We can push the limits of our innovation with venues, stage design, and special effects. But it's still not performance IRL.

When I resorted to virtual concerts soon after everyone was on pandemic-induced lockdown, I longingly missed the in-person exchange of energy. Creating a vibration with my band. Feeling the alignment of frequencies by folks in the audience. The emoji responses and comments flashing across my screen simply fell short of what is possible with IRL performance. It made me question whether I wanted to do virtual shows at all. While, ultimately, I didn't decide to eliminate virtual shows from my repertoire, I couldn't disregard the looming fear that the most cherished and polished element of my music package would soon dissolve. I was afraid that we had gotten too comfortable with music performances devoid of human touch. And I feared music in the metaverse would only further exploit and normalize these types of performances.

But since joining web3 I've learned two critical things that are helping me move through this fear.

First, I learned that “web3” and “the metaverse” are not the same thing. I had been using the terms interchangeably, and in doing so I thought that to enter web3 I’d have to succumb to what I feared most about music in the metaverse. While the two are undoubtedly interrelated, to my evolving understanding, web3 is more of a way for things to happen while the metaverse is a place where things can happen. The place doesn’t necessarily dictate the way. And my understanding of the way prides itself upon autonomous action which allows creators like myself to be as innovative as possible, without systematized objection about how we’re being creative. That’s the idea, at least. So I don’t have to resort to virtual-only live performances if I don’t want to. Surely there are people experiencing music in that way, but it doesn’t have to be the only way.

The second thing I learned was that I could just include IRL performance into my web3 presence instead of separating the two. In fact, I’ve learned that attaching IRL performance to music NFTs as utility only enhances the value of my tokens and my collections. So, in preparation for the future, I’m offering a special way for my collectors to experience my in-person live show in their very home. And I have different tiers for different experiences to be redeemed in 2023. Tier 1, for collectors who spend 1 ETH on my NFTs, is my classic solo show. Tier 2, for collectors who spend 5 ETH on my NFTs, is my classic show featuring my full backing band. And Tier 3, for collectors who spend 10 ETH on my NFTs, is Tier 2 plus a chef-curated dinner party.

I’m no longer as fearful about the metaverse cutting off IRL performance. Instead, I’m treating web3 as an avenue that eventually leads to my in-person live show. I’m excited to get back to live, in-person shows with my band this summer. And I can’t wait to re-launch my Kitchen Sessions in 2023. Hope to see you there…