HOLY. SMOKES.

(Note: I reserve all caps statements for only the most special of occasions).

The IndieGoGo fundraising campagin for my next album, The Living Record, came to a close ten days ago at a total of $9,390. HENCE THE ALL CAPS because it’s REMARKABLE. There were a couple weeks there where I wasn’t sure we’d even make my goal of $8,000 but in the last two days it just click-click-clicked its way up and beyond!

It reminded me of this guy and how we are attracted to momentum. I’m grateful for it, so very grateful for it. The contributions and comments and encouragement throughout the campaign were downright moving and to already have all of that support in place before we’ve even put the first track to tape (as it were… oh analog!) is an incredible feeling. I mean, people have bought the album without even hearing it yet. Incredible.

And exciting!

It gets better. This week I learned that my application to FACTOR (Fund to Assist Canadian Talent on Records) was successful, bringing another $10,500 to the project. It’s really tough to get FACTOR money – mostly because they get many many more great applications than they can fund and at a certain point, it’s just luck. And I was lucky.

SO lucky. It’s a rare feat for an independent artist to make an album and not go into debt, but that, ladies and gentlemen, is what we have before us.

This calls for a toast! Speaking of, have you seen drinkify.org? It made quite a mark on the Twittersphere a couple weeks ago and I must say I’m a little disapointed that the algorythmic bartender could only be so creative as to add a kiwi to the “Christa Couture” (not that I’d turn down the Pinot Noir) – see “my” drink here: drinkify.org/Christa%20Couture. I shouldn’t complain. The “Kinnie Starr” is terrifying: drinkify.org/kinnie%20starr (p.s. I love her).

Meanwhile, now that the album is properly funded, plans are falling into place. We’re looking at booking The Warehouse Studio in February (amazing) and rehearsal will start that month on the 8th. I love pre-production and recording. All the ideas, all the exploring, all the choices, all the happenstance…

I also love spreadsheets. It’s true. IndieGoGo exports a lovely spreadsheet of all the contributors and I have just gleefully whiled away my afternoon sorting columns and tallying up how many of each t-shirt, poster and book we need to make. Bliss.

In light of needing more closet space for the new creations, I’ve put all of my current/past one-of-a-kind, hand silk-screened, pre-loved Christa Couture Couture shirts on sale on Etsy. Use the coupon code WINTER11 in my shop at: www.etsy.com/shop/sommerfugl.

Oh yes oh yes.

xo

cc