Confessions From the Underground #10: Crowdfunding

**This column originally appeared in our August 2025 issue**

Girl Blue—otherwise known as Arielle O’Keefe—is arguably one of the most well-known and highly sought after artists in the region. And rightfully so. Anyone who’s listened to her music has undoubtedly been emotionally moved by her songs, which are masterclasses in composition and melody. Last month, she released a new record exclusively on Patreon, her crowdfunding platform of choice. The platform has been around for many years, providing support for artists looking to make a more consistent income and yet it’s still relatively under the radar compared to other crowdfunding platforms. Arielle agreed to discuss the topic of crowdfunding and Patreon for this month’s column which, fun fact, has never been caught having an affair with another column on a Coldplay kiss cam. 

TJ Foster: For our readers who might not be familiar with Patreon, could you briefly explain the concept?

Arielle O’Keefe: It's basically a subscription to your favorite creators; you can do it monthly or annually. You're basically saying, “I think this has value, and I want to support this creator,” or “I want certain exclusive content from this creator,” and you're going directly to the artist and giving. I think it's kind of the way that everything's headed, but [Patreon] was a little early to the game. They've been at it for a while; this is my seventh year on the platform, and I still think it's a great way to have that direct relationship with your fans. It has a nice infrastructure and, in my opinion, they don't take too much in terms of fees compared to others. 

TF: Seven years, that's great. So what motivated you to pursue this model back then?

AO: I've always had a mind to own all my music and have that direct relationship with fans. It's really difficult to think back to what was going on in the music industry at that time, how we were all minded: everything you were doing was to get the attention of a label, or a middleman with influence, who could push you out to an audience. When I was 18 or 19, I had a YouTube channel, and it was doing really well—this was the early days of YouTube, and I wasn't smart enough at the time to be like, “This is it!” I still thought it was a stepping stone to a label. But in hindsight, if I'd kept up with that… that's basically what I'm doing now through Patreon. 

I knew I wanted freedom and control. Any run-ins I had with that big music industry structure always made me really uncomfortable and brought up a lot of resistance in me. I heard about Patreon through Amanda Palmer. She was one of the initial spearheads of this. I read her book and there was this big attitude of, ”Don't ask people to support you, let them support you,” which sounds paradoxical, but basically this is a relationship that both sides are having with each other. You allow someone to participate in your art when you allow them to support you. That made sense to me. And Patreon seemed like a place where I could have that relationship with people. 

TF: That's really interesting…  I mean, there's so many things that we artists ask of our fans and friends and families. “Come to this show, listen to this song, watch this video…” I don't know if it's the same for you, but it becomes almost uncomfortable. You're constantly going, “Look at me.” 

AO: Part of that is there is just more going on now [than ten years ago]. It's cheaper to make things from home. More people are making things which, on one hand, is really good and cool, but I've definitely been in that fatigue of asking people to listen, and to show up and all that. The world's changing really fast. It's the Wild West a little bit. For me, it's about finding your people, and that's what Patreon is about. It's showing you who your people really are, then allowing those relationships to flourish, instead of constantly reaching out to people who are not your people, and asking them over and over again. 

TF: How do you think having this platform has impacted you on a creative level? Do you think you have more freedom and flexibility, or is there sort of an innate pressure to make sure that you're hitting certain goals and providing your patrons with a certain level of promised output? 

AO: I've been through all sorts of feelings about that. I've been in places of overproduction, like so many tiers and promises on delivering and making things for people and making sure that I'm giving them everything that I've got and, in a way, burning myself out. That's only sustainable for so long. I think especially with becoming a mom, my patrons understand what I have the capacity for right now. And there's also been a lot of conversations with close friends being like, “You're enough. These people are here because they are your people, and they want to support you. They're not looking for you to jump through hoops for them.” So, as I've changed, I think I've been able to recognize that what I have to give is enough. And being an artist is fluid, you know? There are times when I'm doing a lot of creating and a lot of sharing, and then there are times when I have to be hidden away. That's part of the process. That’s also what makes being a creative person for a living difficult and unstable. Patreon creates a little bit of stability, and there's a lot of grace that you're given from the people supporting you. Ultimately, they want it to be as good as it can be, too. 

TF: Talk to me about what your Patreon page looks like—what the different tiers are and the ways that fans can participate.

AO: I'm actually about to do a rehaul, because I think there is stuff held over from the past, but at this point, I do a monthly video song. Last September, I did one vlog-style. You know, here's what the month has been like. I filmed rehearsals and taking my daughter around and doing shows and all that. Other times, it's a cover song. And obviously, I have this new record that they've all seen how long that process has taken. 

TF: And everything you do, I'm assuming you do within that room that you're sitting in right now? 

AO: Yeah, this is our home studio. [My husband and I] do have some portable stuff, so we'll take it outside or to another room sometimes but, for the most part, we're working out of here. 

TF: So, you just mentioned that new record—walk me through the process of creating it, and what role Patreon has played throughout, from writing to recording and ultimately releasing it to your patrons.

AO: I wrote these songs in 2020 through 2021, 2022. We went through a lot of big life changes towards the end of 2021; we moved into where we live now and started getting the studio together. I think it was January of 2023 that we started recording the tracks that ended up on the record, which I’d had in demo form for a while. We posted a look at us starting to track this thing for patrons only, which is something I wouldn't do publicly, because we're kind of private about that stuff. I had received a grant from Saratoga County in 2023 to make this record, and as we were nearing the finish line, I found out I was pregnant. I got really sick and I lost my voice completely. 

TF: Oh man, I'm sorry. 

AO: It's okay. It was something that I think needed to happen in retrospect. We tried to record the vocals so many times and it just wasn't supposed to happen at that time. [My patrons] were along for the ride and I think they've felt all of that with me through still making the monthly videos even though I didn't really have a singing voice. By the end, when I was like eight or nine months pregnant, I said to my husband, “I have no business being on the mic right now.” But when I listen back, it is documenting that real period of time when I couldn't control it. It's a different voice. 

When I had my daughter, I would write [to my patrons] even if I couldn't provide music. So they've been along for the ride the whole time. They were the first ones to get the record. They've been supporting me all the way, both with their words and financially. 

TF: How has the feedback been so far? 

AO: With Patreon, there's a lot of people who are just silent. But then there's a good little core group of people who are always commenting and liking or sending direct messages letting me know how things are impacting them. It's really beautiful.

TF: Have you become close with anyone on there that you didn't know beforehand, where they've been with you for years and you've developed a certain kinship to them?

AO: Totally! It’s kind of funny. It's not in-person, but you do feel like you kind of know people, and you get a sense for what's going on in their lives. Definitely through the years, I've had people like that.

An awesome thing about that platform is that people can give as much as they want, and they can come in and out of giving. I've had patrons who have paid for an entire record to get made, and I've had patrons who have paid for me to go play a show in a different state just because they want me to come out and play. There's an immense generosity, and that's where you really see that it's a relationship and it's a way that people who maybe don't directly create music or art can become part of that creative process, part of the team.

TF: That’s incredible. I think that speaks a lot to the platform obviously, but also just your artistry itself, right? That you're able to develop these relationships over the years and kind of get to know people even if you've never physically met.

AO: Yeah. And I think because the music I make is very personal and emotional, I'm kind of laying myself out there. It hits that part of people. They feel more moved to be honest when they're messaging, and that always opens up a real dialogue. 

TF: So as you've said, things have changed so rapidly over the years in terms of how artists can not only make music, but make money making music. Obviously you don't need to get into specifics but in terms of all our different sources of income—shows, streaming, merchandise, and so on—where would you rank Patreon in terms of how fruitful it is for you financially?

AO: Let’s see. It's come in and out through the years—I've had other streams of income be there and come in and out. But I think it would probably be shows [at the top], then Patreon and then streaming.

TF: Streaming way down here, right? (laughs, lowering hand to the floor)

AO: (laughs) Yeah. That's come in and out too, just because of being on certain playlists, or getting placed in things that can be more significant, but that's always a temporary kind of bump, whereas Patreon has moved up and down throughout the years, but it's more stable and it's definitely more significant. 

TF: What about looking at the more “mainstream” crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter, Indiegogo, those kinds of things – how would you compare Patreon to those?

AO: I don't think that I actually have done one of those. I know that I've definitely considered it and weighed the pros and cons. I write a lot of songs, and especially in the past before we had a real home studio, it was like I was moving past all these songs before getting them recorded and out. So it really worked for me to have a place to put the songs, even if they weren't in the pristine, finished form. It still felt like sharing. And I really like that. It feels really good. I knew that I had the material on a consistent basis to do it, so it wasn't incredibly stressful for me to pull that together every month. 

TF: Based on everything you’ve said, Patreon is clearly really relationship based. It's that long-lasting thing. Whereas, with Kickstarter and other platforms like it, those are very project-based. Going back to Amanda Palmer—you're doing a lot of asking, and once the project is over, it's over, and that relationship is almost severed. 

AO: Honestly, I know people who do both, too; it's all about what you can do. I have a friend who's just a wonderful artist and a sweet, lovable person and she does really well with Patreon, and she also funds every record with Kickstarter to the tune of 20 to 30 grand. She's a bit of an outlier in that way; she's also always on the road. That's a really big part of it too—the biggest way to get people to follow you online is after they've had an in-person experience with you.

TF: Why do you think these crowdfunding platforms have become so revered and ubiquitous? I feel like when Patreon first came along, it was a really cool idea but geared towards a certain demographic of artists. Like you had to be at a certain status in your career to have it make sense. But now it seems to have come down to a more localized level, where anyone can do this and have some level of success with it. 

AO: I think it's just spreading what it is. When I started doing Patreon, people knew what Kickstarter was, but nobody knew what Patreon was, so I would have to explain it at every show. Now it's more common. People have a bigger understanding. And, also, we are basically in a subscription-based society. Our whole economy is kind of moving that way. So it's more comfortable and familiar for people to give every month. 

Also, I think people who are doing Patreon are minded more like me and my husband, where we'd rather have the gear and learn how to use it and be able to record ourselves forever than every year pay $20K to go to a studio and make an album. But everyone's circumstances are different. It's brutal to do it yourself; it takes a lot of energy and time, and you have to do a lot of things that you're not the best at. So there are pros and cons. You just gotta know for yourself. We've always been kind of scrappier and DIY. 

TF: And you guys are so good at it—it’s like, why wouldn’t you do it yourself?

AO: I always have to remind myself that when “Fire Underwater” did as well as it did, I know that we recorded that in our bedroom with, like, no isolation. I always remember that, and I try to compare. I'm like, “We're getting better.” That song was in a national commercial. So, you know, don’t stop yourself from creating because you're worried about quality. If the song is good, people are more forgiving of recording stuff. 

TF: That's the thing. If it's a good song, it's a good song no matter what. You can strip it down, you can go full production, you can do whatever you want, but it doesn't necessarily need that five or six figure budget.

AO: Honestly, where I'm at now is, whatever process you enjoy more, that's the one you should go for because people have libido for different things. So if getting all the songs together, doing the Kickstarter and getting in the studio with great music makes you happy, take on the type of stress that you're comfortable taking on.

TF: So what are your plans for a wider release of the record? I assume it's going to come out publicly at some point? 

AO: (laughs) Yeah, it's actually coming out on Friday [July 25th]. 

TF: Oh damn! Okay.

AO: It's happening. I'm just dropping it. I'm doing more shows, I'm taking on what I can. It's really been a challenge to split my brain because I'm full-time with my daughter and she's still really young. Also this particular record, because it's taken so long and it's such heavy content, I just need to get it off my back. Whoever needs to hear it is going to hear it when they're supposed to. I'm going to play the shows, I'm going to handmake some CDs for people and let people know that it's out, but I have not done a big, long promotional thing. I'm not saying that's the right thing to do. I just have no expectations anymore. I'm just happy to be making music, and I hope to keep getting to do it. 

TF: That sounds really freeing. Every time I put out a record, I'm still so stuck in the classic way of doing things where you grind and build it up first. But then it comes out and a week later it feels like all the buzz is just gone. 

AO: It’s so depressing! The biggest insight though, is thinking what my capacity is for consuming other people's art at this point, so I don't want to put any expectations on it. Like I said, people find it when they need to. 

TF: I always like to end these interviews with some words of wisdom. You've obviously had great success with this platform. You've stuck with it for the better part of a decade but I can see there being some daunting things about it, right? You're putting yourself out there and hoping that people care enough to contribute. What if they don’t? You're also signing up to create things regularly which may be hard for some to stay committed to. So, what advice would you give somebody who's thinking about starting one in terms of getting over those potential roadblocks?

AO: I think I kind of said it already, but, I mean, in this day and age, do you enjoy doing it or not? Because so many people are doing this. And that doesn't mean that there's not stress involved. But like I said, we have different capacities for different kinds of stress. So if you enjoy making things and you want a place to share them, why not? Maybe you get an extra $5 a month from somebody. I would just say don't have any expectations and if it lights you up when you think about doing it, then do it. That doesn't mean that you don't also feel a little daunted. 

I would be focused less on some kind of financial goal with it and more on consistency. And that's why I say you should enjoy consistently making things because with any of these things that you're trying to participate in, just being consistent will create that kind of inevitability, perhaps, of more and more people finding out about what you're doing, and you'll get better at what you're doing over time. That's another thing I didn't talk about. But if you're posting something every month you're getting better at it, and I don't think that you can figure out whether it works for you or not unless you try it. 

To learn more about Girl Blue, and support her Patreon, visit https://www.girlbluemusic.com/.