As the release date for her new album approaches, Island musician Rachel Beck was looking forward to releasing new singles and showcasing her music at 2020 festivals.
Now, for the foreseeable future, she won't get the chance.
"When the coronavirus (COVID-19 strain) outbreak started, I was in between two legs of what was supposed to be a national release tour. I was set to go west on March 25. All the shows were booked and the tickets sold. But they were eventually cancelled."
She said she was fortunate to have been home when the restrictions were put in place.
Beck used to work in the public school system before making the transition to full-time artist in June 2018.
She has seen a sharp decline in revenue since the outbreak.
"I'm a touring artist, mostly. I make money from the shows and selling merchandise at the events. I have boxes of merch just sitting in my living room right now," Beck said with a soft laugh.
She was supposed to be at a Vancouver showcase on April 3.
"(Showcases and events like that) are the kind of things that generates work for the next one to two years. I was supposed to go to Europe for the first time for tour dates and showcase the album later in the year. That will at least be delayed."
But it's hard to know, she said, because events are often planned so far in advance.
"I've definitely had to pivot, even with the release of the album, which comes out June 12."
Since the outbreak, Beck has been releasing singles online and participating in virtual concerts and events.
"It's a new world with the shift to live-streaming. They're a great way to connect with people, but they also come with difficulties technology-wise."
Rachel Beck - Stronger Than You Know (Official Lyric Video):
There's also the debate whether musicians should ask people who tune in to buy tickets, for donations or nothing at all.
Beck is currently trying to decide if she will continue full time in the music industry and possibly try to secure funding to invest in home recording equipment. If Beck hadn't already completed the album, she would have faced major setbacks since she did most of the recording in Nova Scotia.
"I'm trying to learn to adapt, but I have a deepened appreciation for other people in the industry that have the skillsets to bring quality video, audio, graphics to the audiences."
Beck said she made a lyric video for a song she recently released, Stronger Than You Know.
"I'm learning new things and challenging myself."
But when it comes to performing this summer, Beck said she's left with "a big question mark".
Lennie Gallant, another full-time touring artist, was supposed to be touring the East Coast, Quebec and Ontario this month, but like Beck, plans have changed.
"It was a tour I was really counting on for income," he said.
Most festivals he was set to play at have also been taken off the calendar.
"We have another tour in October and we're hoping to get to play it. It's tough for everyone."
He said, as a musician, he wants to help contribute during the pandemic, but all he has at his disposal is his music.
"I'm trying to have a presence online and give shows. It seems we have thousands of comments. If we can bring comfort and solace, it' nice."
Lennie Gallant video:
Musicians like Gallant aren't eligible for employment insurance programs, but the federal government has announced some programs.
"We're still trying to navigate it."
On top of being a full-time musician, Tim Chaisson of the East Pointers is also one of the organizers of the Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival.
After the band's festival dates in Australia were cancelled, the members of the trio made their way home.
From there, they decided to host a fundraiser for the Unison Benevolent Fund, which provides financial aid to musicians who might not otherwise be able to perform and make an income.
"Then we started #Annedemic where each night we'd get our musician friends to read a chapter of Anne of Green Gables. We raised $15,000 for the fund."
Now the group is hoping to recruit directors of festivals that have been cancelled to read chapters from the second book of the Anne series.
The East Pointers: #Annedemic:
Simultaneously, Chaisson and his family members were facing a tough decision about the fiddle festival.
"We agreed there was no way we could cancel the festival. This will be its 44th year. We had to find a way to go forward with it … so, we'll be hosting a 24-hour festival where a couple of us can get together and just pound out tunes."
They will be charging ticket prices for streaming the festival, but money raised will be used in part to maintain the property the festival is held on and go to the Souris Food Bank.
And while Gallant, Beck and Chaisson's works are available on streaming services, it doesn't make them the same amount of money.
"Very few people are buying physical albums and streaming pays next to nothing," Gallant said.
"Even a million plays will make only about $3,000. But I'd rather they stream them rather than not listen to it at all."
