Source: Tim Mosenfelder / Getty
At the beginning of our quarantine time, when artists were first announcing their concerts on Instagram Live, Erykah Badu shared that she too was launching a concert series: Quarantine Concert Series: The Apocalypse. But unlike the other artists of her caliber she was going to charge a nominal fee for her entertainment.
Given the fact that millions of people are losing their jobs, having their salaries cut or living in times of financial uncertainty, the presentation of the idea was met with some criticism. People felt Erykah is already rich, many of us have already purchased her albums or purchased the concert tickets. She didn’t need any more of our money.
But recently, Badu, in an interview with Shondaland, explained that the money she collects for streaming her concerts was less about her individual profit and more about taking care of her band members after all of her live performances had been canceled indefinitely.
“I had to figure out what I would do to sustain myself and everyone who I support,” Badu tells Shondaland. “Live touring is the main source of our income, so that meant something had to be done. I didn’t just want to put an iPhone on a tripod and stream from a live feed. The first thing I thought about is doing something that helps still build morale, encourage my team, and keep us employed.”
Because the concert takes place in her living room, the transportation and production costs of live events has been eliminated.
“I didn’t want to charge people what promoters charge them. For once, I wanted to separate myself from that capitalistic program that was set up way before us and charge people what I think they deserve, especially in this climate, but still give them a live show with the integrity, technical sound, lighting, and everything that my live show has.”
Initially, Badu had planned to stream the series on Instagram Live but because Badu is only part owner of her masters, she had to wait for the rights to clear.
She did eventually receive full clearance and the first concert in the quarantine series aired on March 23.
While she didn’t make any money during the concert, she’s determined to keep going. “I will find a way to pay the people [I work with]. I just wanted to keep my word, and I did that. My decision was to go live at midnight because we couldn’t afford another day for this whole thing,” Badu adds. “I had to rent a satellite for my bandwidth because it wasn’t powerful enough to reach the capacity of people that I wanted to reach.”
The technical difficulties inspired her to launch her own streaming platform on her site BaduWorldMarket.com.
The concert series employs 15 musicians and crew members who’ve been seen wearing masks in Badu’s bedroom. Her third performance on April 19, found the band members in protective bubbles with Badu in her underwear.
“We’re all kind of stuck in our houses, and I thought people could really relate to that,” the she says. “It’s such a pleasure because I’m in my element even more. Doing it in my home is even more special.”
But the shows are relegated to her bedroom. Each room featured in the concert series has a different style of music and audience members can choose what style of music they’d like to hear based on their location in Badu’s home.
“They’re a part of the show creating as they go. From a user perspective, I would not only feel included, but I’d feel important because it gives the consumer freedom to choose. It gives us, the musicians, the freedom to create the way we want. I’m creating a world for people they haven’t seen in real time.”
Views for Badu’s first two concerts have totaled over 100,000 and that’s without a large scale marketing campaign.
“It’s possible and can be done by an artist who erases the invisible line between myself, the fans, and in this case, the users,” she says. “If you were signed 20 years ago, it was virtually impossible. It wasn’t designed [for the artists] to even do that. If it encourages other artists to learn to use this new platform in order to sustain themselves, family members, crews, and their ecosystem, then it’s worth it. I took a machete, went through the bushes, and carved out a space for us.”
