introducing: the co-creation experiment

testing a new model for how creativity gets funded, built, and moved through the world.

introducing the co-creation experiment

here’s the thing: the music industry is broken, and no one knows what to do. and although that might sound discouraging to most artists, i actually see it as an opportunity to try something new.

what if we built a new structure for artists?

right now, there’s the signed artist: the artist who has support from the label, but often doesn’t have control over their masters. then there’s the independent artist: the artist who has control over their masters, but doesn’t have the funding, infrastructure, or support that usually comes from a label.

i’m proposing a third structure: the co-creative artist.

a co-creative artist gets to keep their masters while receiving funding and support from their entire ecosystem. not just one company. not just one platform. not just one label. but the people, brands, collaborators, community members, supporters, and fans who believe in the work and want to help move it forward.

imagine if every artist had a brand partner that believed in their work so much that they helped fund it. imagine if that artist could then collaborate with other artists, filmmakers, producers, editors, designers, and creative minds to bring the project to life. then imagine if that same artist could invite their community into the process before the project goes public. not just to watch the project come out, but to actually help push it into the world.

that’s co-creation.

co-creation is when everyone in an artist’s ecosystem works together to help bring a project forward. (visit co-creation.art)

it’s about producing a well-crafted piece of art, then taking that project to the community and asking them to participate in its movement. some people might be part of the street team. some people might seed into the marketing budget. some people might contribute resources, strategy, connections, ideas, energy, or visibility. but the point is that everybody who believes in the art has a role in helping the art move.

so i’m conducting my first co-creation experiment. co-creation experiment no. 1 is for my new music film, Ego Death.

Ego Death is the climax song on my album Chrysalis, which is a journey from ego to embodiment. i’ve already created the film, and i worked with some brilliant minds to bring it to life. this month, it will be premiering at the Dolby Atmos Theater, which is something i’m incredibly excited about.

this is the best visual i’ve made to date. it’s really good. and i want to make sure that anyone who wants to be part of this moment with me has a way to be part of it.

so here’s the experiment:

if you believe in this structure and want to help test a new model for artists, visit co-creation.art and choose the participation tier that feels aligned for you: Supporter ($11), Collaborator ($55), Architect ($111), or Visionary ($444). each tier is a different way to seed into the project and help support the release, marketing, and movement of the film.

Become A Co-Creator Now

once you choose your tier and participate, your name will be added to the credits of the Ego Death video, as long as you do so before July 15.

that’s what co-creation is. you’re not just watching the project happen from the outside. you’re taking a real step into it. you’re helping fund it, move it, and bring it into the world. and your name becomes part of the story.

i’m going to run this experiment throughout July and document what happens here on substack in real time.

in many ways, this is a social experiment. i want to see what happens when an artist invites their ecosystem to help fund, support, and move a project forward directly. and if it works, i want to bring on more artists and build this same structure for them too.

so if you support me, if you support my music, if you support Chrysalis, if you support Ego Death, or if you simply support this idea, i invite you to be part of this experiment with me.

tell me what you think. do you think this structure could work? and if it did work, would you try it?

i really don’t know what to expect from this experiment, but i do know one thing: i’m not afraid to try.

so let’s see.

Become A Co-Creator now