Not getting older but "vintage" LOL and hopefully a bit "wiser"
TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!!! I have today that plan is really quiet, I have a bottle of cider, a chocolate Santa that a fellow composer sent to me and indulging watching a series while eating popcorn later on.
So here is me ten year apart :) Same girl, same dreams... Lots of things have changed and at the same time, lots of things are the same too.
My birthday present
This year Birthday and Xmas are practical... Editing videos and producing music with my old outdated computer was becoming frustrating as my old battleship started to have failures. So my partner 
Package also had a chocolate santa and a Unicorn and a handdrawn unicorn. I also got a card from one of my patrons... and hopefully the following days I'll place it under my ratty mini Xmas tree...
I don' t think the Santa is going to make it though...
Anyway I was overwhelmed by this generosity and I was asked by a friend recently... I'm not sure HOW I can help... so I thought about putting a little article together, with the hope for it to be a draft for a video. Because sure you can help me and OTHERS.
10 Ways you can support ME (or an INDEPENDENT ARTIST you like)
Everybody says they love music and art... but are you aware of the difficulties small acts have to face? It is always awkward to ask and if it weren't my birthday I wouldn't feel bold enough to write it down. :)
Yes, yes, this post seems like a Shameless plug... might look that way! but me, and many fellow artists struggle with many issues you might not be aware and that's what I intend, spread AWARENESS of our situation in general and this post goes beyond myself as I see how many of us artists struggle to voice out our problems and difficulties loudly. As you should know that streaming services barely pay cents for thousands of plays, and not all of us are influencers or famous youtubers... the vast majority of artists are minnows in a vast ocean, does that sound familiar to you?
So even if my music or art is NOT your cup of tea consider to support other small independent acts you may know in a similar way.
So yes, I'm going to, and I rarely do, tell you how you can help me or others, should anyone care to :)
But take this post also as a way to encourage and motivate also other small acts :) So if my art is NOT YOUR thing (which is OK as art relies on different tastes) take into account you can do this for ANOTHER person you know. There are many ways to support an independent artists and most of them does not involve even any money. But we need support to grow, to be encouraged and go on!
1) Please BUY what we sell... Artist struggle in the "All is free on Internet" Streaming era
Many artists are struggling to sell because now almost everything is available immediately on internet or streaming services. It's happening not only to musicians but also to visual artists.
You can purchase my ALBUMS (yes, some of us still sell those old fashioned physical formats to include art or other goods in it ) or digital downloads from priscillahernandez.com/shop alternatively from legal sources as Bandcamp, Itunes , Amazon Music and many others.
Buy the prints and small originals from illustrators, a book or ebooks and publications from your fellow writers... even if it's easy to access to free content on internet and even most of us provide ways to offer it for free (through streaming services and such) that doesn't mean we don't appreciate the support.
** CREATING requires gear, investment, tools... and many of us end up paying to create what they share virtually for free. **
And if those artists perform on concerts, organize conferences, workshops or venues, please also make the effort to attend to them.
My shop is at http://priscillahernandez.com/shop
There you can buy my illustrated physical music albums, but also some original prints, art, and other merchandising. And of course also my discography in digital format, including singles that are not elsewhere.
You can also buy legal digital downloads from ITUNES and AMAZON MUSIC
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/priscilla-hernandez/200796905
You can also buy from BANDCAMP (still limited catalogue there)
https://priscillahernandez.bandcamp.com/
2) Become a Patron
As I have stated before we live times where music and art can be found easily on streaming platforms and thus the artist is not remunerated fairly... did you know you need . Did you know that spotify roughly pay $0.0075 per play. And then there are the digital distributors fee... in other words... You earn selling two cds to your friends than with 10000 plays on spotify. That is why some other options are surfacing as PATREON, a website/blog where the artist offer exclusive content or supporters simply sign to provide a fee a month to support their favourite artists in order to keep on creating.
You can join my patreon here from 1 dollar a month
http://patreon.com/yidneth
Other options are direct donations or support on crowdfunding campaigns.
3) STREAM only from legal sources
You can stream my music from legal source like Spotify or Amazon Music. There are other sites like Bandcamp that both allow streaming and purchase.
Yes they pay little but at least those stats help to open doors. If you find someones's music on a random video, maybe track down to the artist page, to their official spotify, youtube or page. And avoid torrents and "fans" offering the torrents because they "like" those artists. THAT does not help.
My spotify profile is
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4VYQXDVxNNr4kGMv6cR8W1
Give me a few spins or add me to your playlists... all is welcomed!
4) Follow, subscribe, join the OFFICIAL Artist profiles on networks.
You can add me to your social networks Priscilla Hernandez is my facebook page, on youtube, instagram, twitter my user name is my nickname and trademark "yidneth". Take into account that small artists are usually not verified by facebook or twitter until we grow becasuse literally "we are still not significant enough" that is literally the response. The only way we can claim that or they start to see us is that we grow our numbers. Not only that by feedbacking, commending and interacting you're keeping the artist motivated to keep on creating.
PRISCILLA HERNANDEZ
https://yidneth.com
https://steemit.com/@yidneth
https://youtube.com/yidneth
https://twitter.com/yidneth
https://facebook.com/yidneth
5) TAG AND SHARE! (or RESTEEM ;-))
You can share my work with your friends, spread the word, share the videos. Tag me and be my team to reach! Here and in many networks you can tag
Most of us hate to self-promote, and that's where we get our motivation in having our faithful supporters sharing our videos on their groups, reddit, and social networks. Spread the word!.
Do not download and reupload without tags... I had myself a hideous experience of a stolen video, decropped of credit and going viral... Tag the artist page, CREDIT, and share
Here is one of my videos, but it could be as well ANY... if you like
On facebook and ig they allow you to tag your stories with artists music, that way it also count in their numbers.
6) FEEDBACK, COMMENT, ENCOURAGE
You can leave feedback and encouragement, believe it reaches me and it motivates me, and believe it is needed as I have also my times of doubt. Tell me you like it and you care about it! A heartfelt comment and review can make my day. Start leaving a simple comment in this very post :)
Also take into account of leaving a good review on facebook, google, amazon and other sites where rating the artist or service they provide is allowed.
7) RECOMMEND your favourite small acts festivals and venues and asks for their music on radio stations.
8) BECOME AN ACTIVE PROMOTER
You can write a blog post, article, interview, review or feature in your website or blog. Most big magazines actually ask small acts for a fee to be interviewed, but you can offer your space and review. Do you like an artist? let others know!
9) REPORT COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT
This is happening on so many levels, stolen videos from musicians, people resharing without credit, people monetizing the creations of others, people offering the free downloads on torrent sites... But also large scale chinese stores selling copycats of your creations with your own photos. This has happened to some of my fellow clothing designers mostly and it's in fact a scam that damages the artist image as chinese replicas use their picture so sell a low quality knock off. So it does not happen only in music or books it happens to multiple disciplines. Whenever a small artist starts to have a little bit of success there will be "scavengers" around to see what they can get, copy or steal. And it's sad but it makes you be cautious. So on a daily basis you see a photography, a video, things shared anonymously on facebook groups because it's a share of a share of a share... sometimes altered until the artist cannot even be tracked back anymore. If you RECOGNIZE THE ARTIST, mention so it can be properly tagged.
I had one particular video stolen from my youtube circulating in VIRAL numbers on facebook groups, not only they cut my credits at the end, some groups even watermarked my video with their services. Despite having humble numbers on my youtube, the video went viral on facebook with several millions plays with no credit. It brought eventually some income of listeners but how much better it would have been to feel that push on an official source. More even it was really stressful to deal sometimes.
Above: My original video "Over the clouds" just in case you ever see it without my name ;-)10) ARTIST ENDORSEMENTS
Endorse small artists with your products... Are you a company that makes instruments, software, art materials, music gear, drawing tablets... whatever the product there may be a fellow that could make use of it. I have been lucky and my harp as well as some other instruments and even clothing have been endorsed as support. This is different from being an "influencer" these are small companies that really trust in what you do.
My kantele as many of my other instruments have been endorsed.
But you don't have to be a company, you can donate your unused gear, materials, music instruments in order not only to keep a cleaner planet but help a fellow friend. Do you paint and have an old tablet you don't use, hand it to a fellow beginner artist... your old student clarinet to someone interested in learning... It's all about giving... Sometimes I've even received things I'm sure others cherished but thought I'd put to better use...
Sometimes it's about giving
but most of times is about CARING...!
So thanks everyone for your support! And feel free to become my little street team and make someone else to know about what I do... but also take it as an idea to support those fellow artists, because YOU COULD BE key in them continuing create and share.
Now that year ends and we're all in a bit of Xmassy Spirit! Remember to be generous... which MOST OF THE TIME doesn't even involve any money... just ENCOURAGEMENT!
Priscilla Hernandez Network
Official site: https://yidneth.com
Youtube: https://youtube.com/yidneth
Patreon: https://patreon.com/yidneth
spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4VYQXDVxNNr4kGMv6cR8W1
Facebook: https://facebook.com/yidneth
Instagram.com: https://instagram.com/yidnethBlog: https://blog.priscillahernandez.com
Shop: https://priscillahernandez.com/shop (for PHYSICAL CDs and art prints)
Hub to more links: https://linktr.ee/yidneth
I always remember my song GROW.... we must grow when the time is right...and even the tallest trees become from tiny seeds... it just needs patience, time, endurance and of course NOURISHMENT! Thank you all!
Blessings! And THANK YOU :)
Priscilla Hernandez
singer-songwriter & illustrator
http://yidneth.com