How to raise funds (without a label compromising your vision)
This Latin artist created a sustainable independent career
gm. Welcome to Sounds Rare.
We share the stories of artists and curators each week to better understand how they’re using the platform.
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How Xcelencia earned over 12 ETH without label support
Xcelencia is a Puerto Rican artist who joined Sound in 2022 with his drop “Soltera,” which sold 25 editions and generated 1.75 ETH. To date, he’s released 11 tracks and is currently featured in 19 playlists. He also started Shifted Culture, which is a label helping Latin artists.
Latin music broadly is making waves as one of the fastest growing genres. Xcelencia has been at the forefront of this trend in the onchain market, announcing his community, “Sonido,” which acts as “The home for Latin, Spanish language music, and artists on Sound.”
He’s also been active on the Sound feed, being one of the first participants in our new Latin channel, where anyone can join and post about Latin artists, songs, and playlists.
Xcelencia’s success on Sound was due to his well rounded approach, reaching collectors across the world. Here’s what he had to say about his experience:
“Web3 enabled me to connect with a new audience and extend my independent journey in Latin music by raising funds without relying on labels to support my artistic vision and future ventures.”
Across all of his drops on Sound, he’s generated over 12.6 ETH in sales volume. He also reached over 17,700 collectors, thanks in part due to his most recent track, “Las Nike,” a featured track on the Coinbase Quest where you can earn 5 OP for collecting it on Sound.
Takeaways from Xcelencia Success
Xcelencia has taken advantage of all the tools we have to offer. In addition to using Sound, he’s build other onchain experiences for fans, as well as growing his Web2 presence, with 65,877 monthly listeners on Spotify.
His success came with consistently showing up and committing to the culture in Web3. You can find the same strategy by dropping your music on Sound, and finding other Web3 platforms to release a music video, build a website, or even connect with new collectors
Don’t know where to start? DM us on Instagram for tips on how to get started with your next drop.
Breaking Artist: Okay Kayo
Okay Kayo is an up-and-coming rapper using Sound to help fund his creative ventures and soulful songs. He’s been vocal on the Sound feed, sharing his music and spread positivity across the platform. So far, he’s reached over 330 collectors across 6 releases. We’re glad to have him in our community. Here’s what he said about his experience dropping on Sound:
“The path of an artist is riddled with challenges, and finding balance amidst them can be particularly daunting. Soundxyz is my saving grace, making my creative endeavors considerably smoother. With all the necessary tools at my fingertips, the journey becomes more manageable. Releasing music onchain has been instrumental in connecting me with genuine supporters who appreciate my work for what it is, and that's something I deeply cherish. Grateful to exist in an era where such opportunities abound.”
His latest drop, “Feels Good, I Guess,“ is minting now on Base.
What we’re listening to…
This week we’re listening “Sonido,” the playlist made by Xcelencia for “Latin, Spanish language music, and artists on Sound.” This playlist features music from popular Sound artists like VALÉ, Mia Lailani, heybela, and Alex Paul.
Did you know you can earn money by making your own playlist?
Curators on Sound have collectively earned over $29,500 in rewards so far. Make one yourself and start earning by clicking here.
Thanks for reading this week’s edition of “Sounds Rare”
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