Artists as Connectors

Brilliant TED Talks with Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls.

She says, “For most of human history, musicians, artists–they’ve been part of the community.  Connectors and openers, not untouchable stars.  Celebrity is about a lot of people loving you from a distance and the internet and the content that we’re freely able to share on it are taking us back–it’s now about a few people loving you up close and about those people being enough.”

Palmer believes in defying this way of thinking and emphasizes getting close with her fans and trusting them.  She might take this view to the extreme (letting, for instance, a group of German fans write on her naked body with Sharpies), but her message is still thought-provoking and poignant.

This is her take on making meaningful connections, working as an artist, and revolutionizing the way we pay for music.

Take ten minutes to feed your brain:

Author: KateBitters

Kate Bitters is a Minneapolis-based author and freelance writer. She is the author of Elmer Left, Ten Thousand Lines, and He Found Me. One of her proudest/nerdiest moments was when Neil Gaiman read one of her short stories on stage at the Fitzgerald Theater.