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Twitch : The Next Frontier for Independent Musicians
By Melissa Lamm
It ’ s a simple question I ask most musicians
I meet : “ Have you heard of Twitch ?” The livestreaming platform is best known for its gaming-related content , but its lesserknown live music section has exploded since the pandemic hit last year . In a world where live shows are on hold , Twitch has become an unlikely host to established artists and producers like Steve Aoki , Kina Grannis , Mike Shinoda ( of Linkin Park ), Timbaland , San Holo , and T-Pain . But it ’ s not just for the big guys ; independent musicians are thriving on Twitch .
My name is Melissa Lamm and I ’ ve been livestreaming musical performances on Twitch for two years . Of all the social media platforms I use , it ’ s by far my favourite . Through Twitch , I ’ ve been able to successfully launch several musical releases , find and connect with listeners around the world , and – most shockingly – fund all of my musical projects . Last June , I released my debut EP , All the Words I Thought I ’ d Say , a collection of pop songs that was fully funded by my amazing online community . Everything – recording , mixing , mastering , producers fees , distribution , cover art photography , promotion , music videos – every part of this recording project was made possible by my Twitch community .
As a small , independent artist , it often feels like an uphill battle getting people to buy a ticket to live shows . In comparison , my livestreaming journey on Twitch has been quite simple . I perform music live on Twitch four times a week from the comfort of my home . I sit in front of a webcam with my keyboard and microphone , and take song requests from viewers who are watching live . In between songs , I talk to the chat , which is full of messages from people around the world watching live . Somehow through all of this , I managed to raise enough money to make an EP . So , how does that happen ?
On Twitch , all livestreams are free to watch . Viewers can choose to support their favourite streamers by donating , tipping with “ bits ”( a digital currency ), and subscribing to their channel .
Donations go directly to a streamer ’ s PayPal account , while bits and subscriptions are paid out by Twitch monthly to affiliated and partnered channels . There are ways to incentivize subscriptions or donations . On my channel , I offer free original music downloads to subscribers , a priority song request from my song list , and a plethora of thank-yous . It ’ s not much , and honestly , I ’ ve found that most people donate or subscribe to me because they enjoy my channel and want to show their appreciation – not for the perks .
How such a system of goodwill could exist on the internet puzzled me at first . I was astounded by the number of people who would donate to me and I was grateful for their support . I was also slightly uncomfortable taking their money , and often felt like I was giving them so little in return . In hindsight , I realize that while viewers appreciate live , interactive musical content , they also find value in the sense of community that Twitch channels can bring .
Online communities are groups of people who usually come together through a shared interest . On Twitch , I ’ ve seen communities bond over music production , live drumming , acoustic sets , virtual EDM festivals , freestyle rap , live looping , and even improvised violin . I ’ ve watched virtual songwriter ’ s circles , artists performing with their pets on their laps , famous producers critiquing viewers ’ demos , and a record-breaking 30- hour freestyle rap livestream . Twitch ’ s audiences are as diverse as the artists who use its platform . If you can bring high-quality and unique musical content to the platform , you may just find your own niche audience that slowly blossoms into a supportive online community .
It doesn ’ t happen overnight , but as my channel has grown , I ’ ve found an incredible online community . As I showcased my style of music and my authentic self on Twitch , I began to attract like-minded people who enjoyed my personality , shared my taste in music , and eventually championed my musical projects like their own . I know many of them by name , if they have a dog , even their favourite flavour of pie . They know that I have a phobia of most fruits , and an affinity for white t-shirts and tacos . I look for ways to include my community throughout my musical projects , whether by showing snippets of an upcoming track or giving lots of updates on the recording process . By the time my singles and EP were ready to be released last year , my community was genuinely excited to support them and helped me launch them successfully into the world . They pre-saved my songs on Spotify , added my music to their playlists , and shared my songs on their blogs and social media accounts . The day of the EP release , over 1,300 people tuned into my EP launch livestream to celebrate with me .
As a smaller artist , it can be hard to capture a high level of enthusiasm and support for your original music . Twitch offers an opportunity to reach people around the world , and for musicians , it ’ s a platform worth paying attention to .
Melissa Lamm is a Toronto-based pop musician , songwriter , and producer . Her music has been featured by Spotify ’ s Fresh Finds Pop and New Music Friday Canada playlists , as well as CBC Radio , Wave Music , Airw ave Music , comeherefloyd , and Le Futurewave . You can watch her livestreams at Twitch . tv / melissalammmusic , where her channel has earned over 190,000 views , and find more from her at MelissaLamm . com .
PHOTO : NOOSHA KARGARFARD
28 CANADIAN MUSICIAN