photo: Shauna Alexander

Panelists: Melanie McClain, Cherie Hu, Taren Smith, Maggie Love, and VÉRITÉ

Moderator: Diana Gremore

Happy almost full moon, readers! Last night, I got to do something I’ve been wanting to do for a WHILE, which is go to an irl web3 music event here in NYC!!! With a panel including Cherie Hu of Water & Music, Melanie McClain of many dope things, and artist/super innovator VÉRITÉ, I was NOT going to miss out on this mixer/panel discussion. And it delivered, reader.

The event name: CONVERSATIONS AT THE INTERSECTION OF WEB3 & MUSIC. It was organized by Women in Music in partnership with Friends with Benefits and Soundcloud. 

The event took place by Union Square in what I learned is Soundcloud’s office, which had that… Union Square workspace vibe to it, lol. It was nice! Alcohol and app-y treats abound, guests arrived to this free event and took time to mingle. Couches and seats were scattered throughout, so we grabbed front row seats early with our wine & cheese.

The panel was diverse in expertise and experience: Melanie McClain, Cherie Hu, Taren Smith, Maggie Love, and VÉRITÉ. This panel was LEGIT and also, of course it was / that’s what happens when you bring together women in web3.

Lots was discussed, and it’s worth noting that this was a super mixed crowd in terms of web3 experience — from FWBers to Soundcloud staff. The moderator, Diana Gremore, did a nice job of covering basics while also diving deeper into other topics, which ranged from the the state of the metaverse, to unique web3 moves artists are making, to less obvious ways to get into web3.

As an artist and web3 enthusiast, here are my five biggest takeaways from this event:

1. The event actually ended on this word from VÉRITÉ, which I found to be less somber than she made it out to be: web3 is just another set of tools for artists to grow and move in — in addition to everything else we do. I think it’s easy to get caught up in the hype and and vision of web3, which absolutely comes from the hype & vision of crypto, but it feels a little less overwhelming when you think about it in these terms. I’m not super familiar with VÉRITÉ outside of her reputation as a web3 embracer, so it was comforting to see that she is 100% an artist’s artist; in other words, not obsessed with doing all things web3 all the time — just utilizing it as it helps her build overall as an artist.
2. Web3 offers a unique way of embracing the audience. I think this is more important for artists to focus on than any one thing, such as producing many NFTs (that is just ONE route you can take!). Melanie’s work at p00ls is particularly interesting to me in this context as it’s not so focused on crypto or NFTs, but social tokens for fans. More on that in number four!
3. Taren made the connection of collecting NFTs and other web3 items to collecting vinyl, which has seen a resurgence in recent years. Fans of artists want cool collectibles, and web3 is another avenue to make that happen.
4. Melanie spoke about the value that fans provide, or making sure “culture has currency.” This feels to me like a major key in that: crypto is expensive and out of reach for MOST people. Giving fans currency/rewards in exchange for fan actions, though, is something everyone can do that isn’t currently at a price of $3000 per one! Melanie also brought up an important question to keep central: how can web3 solve problems? In music and beyond.
5. There are so many ways to get involved in web3 without being a coder or developer! Marketers, community managers, and more. And now is a great time for YOU! To get involved!

See you at the next cool NYC thing maybe!

xo C