Denver Blog

Actually, my fascination with the business side of music grows out of my love for those who create it. If I am moved by the music, I become determined to figure out how the artists can do it for a living.

I've always gravitated toward those who are passionate in what they do. I've had friends in arts, music, drama, and writing since college. The challenge is to find ways to help them keep doing it. It's a giant puzzle I'm continuously trying to solve.

Someone helped me launch my writing career and it made all the difference in my life. I've been on a mission to do the same for others.

What's cool about Danielle is that not only have I become a hardcore fan, people who have caught her videos on my Facebook page have had the same reaction. The combination of the funny videos, the ukulele, and gorgeous voice is very compelling. It really is about the music. Those vocals hook me every time I listen to them.

I really admire her purity. and the purity of the music itself. Its very nostalgic too, which is nice. Her yearning to be young again reminds me of how much I want to go back to that too. Glad you wrote about her dave.

I'm with Suzanne.

The business part of it does matter.

This kid has built art that is worth something, and a million plays demonstrates people want it....

And still, she's apparently considering spending her time working at KMart and/or moving to Washington because she can't make a go of it financially.

I mean, if we all just paid her a nickle per view (cheap at 10 times the price!) she'd be making it.

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I've been pondering this, too. Danielle obviously has a huge following. So what's next? Selling more CDs? Touring? Getting sponsors? Doing her own TV show (not so far fetched considering that she's essentially got one going on YouTube)?

And how can Danielle make a living at this while remaining as unchanged as possible? Part of her charm is that she's done everything herself and for virtually no money. She's the antithesis the "big music business."

I've been looking for examples of musicians who have used YouTube as a stepping stone for something bigger in the music. But these other success stories seemed to involve landing major label deals as the next step.

And if you dig deeper, you often find these were manufactured stories to begin with. You often find there was a label deal in the works first. Or a manager or a PR person engineering a deal behind the scenes to promote the artist.

Danielle really has done this herself. In fact, I think I'm the the first who realized she had gotten over one million views because I don't think anyone bothered to add them up before.

YouTube featured her in December and she didn't realize it until after the fact.

At any rate, part of the fun of telling people about her is that she's one of the few "real deals" these days.