The music industry has a problem. Only the cream of the crop earn any significant money from streaming. Not enough people buy to own music. Lily Allen famously said she earns more money from here foot pictures on OnlyFans than her music on streaming. The only thing artists can earn a bit of money from is concerts. Be it tours or rich people gigs (incl. corporate ones). There are plenty of big budgets available in the top 5%.
And it’s not a new phenomenon. Artists have gotten into how water for performing for Gaddafi’s son, the Chechen strongman, or at the Indian richest guy daughter’s wedding. These stories bubble up and down because there’s controversy. A kpop band performing for the daughter of a run of the mill millionaire is causing yawns in the newsrooms. Now, if he was an arms dealer we’d be in business.
sangriaferret@sh.itjust.works 9 months ago
Before she was famous Lady Gaga used to hang out at a tiny bar in lower Manhattan. She go-go danced sometimes and was part of the scene of regulars there.
I started working there years later after she had become a superstar and a lot of those regulars still hung out there. She was still tight with them and even in a relationship with my boss. She didn’t come around much though and we had to keep things on the DL.
One night she gave an unadvertised performance in the back room with a jazz combo of some of the regulars backing her. A secret show: If you knew, you knew.
No rich person hired her. She just wanted to do something fun with her friends.
peregrin5@lemm.ee 9 months ago
What exactly is “go-go dancing”? Is it a particular style of dance like disco or ballroom? Or is it like stripping?