Artist Fundraising Pick, a new feature by Spotify is now allowing fans to leave artists donations via Cash App or PayPal. This allows the artist to pin a specific destination on their profile where artists can determine where money should be sent.
In a statement released on their blog, the viral pandemic seems to be the determining factor.
“Given the urgency and impact of the COVID-19 crisis, we’re working as quickly as we can to develop this new product and get it out to as many artists as possible. However, we’ve never built a fundraising feature like this before. We consider this a first version that will evolve as we learn how to make it as helpful as possible for the music community.”
Because of the pandemic and the artists’ inability to tour or perform in concerts, this is a way to ease the pressure and/or help out the world fight COVID-19.
Artists have a choice to either use their Fundraising Pick to ask fans to donate to good causes, or fans can send the artists some money directly.
The streaming giant has a relief project, “Spotify’s COVID-19 Music Relief Project” that highlights a plethora of causes.
YouTube also has a similar feature that allows fans to leave the artists tips, ‘Super Chat,’ which people pay during live chat messages.
In the effort of aiding relief efforts, Spotify’s new partner, “Cash App, has pledged a $1m fund for artists in the US and UK on the service as part of today’s announcement, which has the double benefit of helping acts during a difficult time… while also monetarily incentivizing them to use Cash App rather than PayPal.me,” according to Music Business Worldwide.
Spotify also stated, “We’re working as quickly as we can to develop this new product and get it out to as many artists as possible.”
