As musicians grapple with ways to earn a wage during the live music shutdown, Melissa Etheridge has found her groove with the new subscription-based Etheridge TV.
Since launching in June with a benefit show to honor the recent loss of her son to opioid addiction, the Grammy- and Oscar-winning artist’s performances from her keepsake-filled, kitted-out garage have amassed more than 1,000 subscribers who pay $50 a month for all access. Single show tickets cost $10.
The Etheridge TV experience—which comprises five weekly immersions including Cover Song Tuesdays (check out her recent cover of Prince’s “Purple Rain” here), hits, deep tracks and live chats—is powered by interactive white label video streaming company Maestro. The company also was behind FanTracks’ recent Bush concert, Pandora’s Kane Brown production, and most recently Katy Perry’s new #SmileSundays half-hour weekly shows featuring music, chat and merch debuts.
“It’s healed us, and it continues to heal us,” Etheridge says of the endeavor. “We keep growing. Each week we get a little better at the cameras, a little better at the Internet, a little better at the lighting. We’re just learning as we go along, and learning something new at my age is a real delight.”
