In a video for her OnlyFans TV channel, singer Kate Nash stated she is set to lose about 16,000 dollars on her upcoming North American tour, RTE reported.
The 39-year-old artist joined the subscription platform in 2024 to draw attention to the financial strains confronting independent musicians.
Nash released her record 9 Sad Symphonies in 2024 and subsequently hit the road. That touring cycle exposed deep economic cracks in the industry’s grassroots.
“When I put out my record 9 Sad Symphonies in 2024 and I started touring it, I realised how much the grassroots of music and culture really was in crisis,” Nash said.
“I was just losing thousands and thousands of pounds because I was choosing to have a human band instead of backing tracks, a sound person, a lighting person, and a few members of crew,” Nash told RTE.
“I think that considering the cultural impact that my music has made, and the fact that I have millions of streams and I sell thousands of tickets, means that I should be able to have a band and a crew and pay them,” Nash said.
Nash launched her OnlyFans account and the Butts for Tour Buses campaign because she needed cash quickly to save Christmas. The financial squeeze forced her to let a crew member go before the festive season.
“Culture really matters to me. Music really matters to me. And the doors are quickly closing on who can access a career in music,” Nash said.
“I loved that I was making people angry and that people were talking about the music industry and the problems within it,” Nash said.
The singer previously discussed these economic realities with MPs earlier this year. She maintains that mainstream success no longer guarantees a sustainable touring budget.
“I’m going on tour to North America,” Nash said. “I’m set to lose about 16,000 dollars and I’m going to be putting my ass on the internet a lot to try and cover the cost of that. So, let’s have some fun.”
Alongside her subscription channel, Nash is developing a new project exploring her Irish roots. She recently played intimate shows in Derry, Cork, Kilkenny, and Dublin following summer appearances at the Galway International Arts Festival, All Together Now, and the Fleadh.
Her heritage ties trace back to London upbringing in a family with roots in Athenry, Galway, Headford, and Lisheenkyle. She recently released a cover of Sinéad O’Connor’s song Famine.
“I think traveling as a musician is really fun and interesting, and I want to share the behind-the-scenes of what it’s like to be a touring artist,” Nash said.
Nash stated she loses money because she chooses to hire a live band, a sound person, a lighting person, and crew members instead of relying on backing tracks.
Nash joined the subscription platform in 2024 to highlight industry financial challenges and help fund her live performances.
Nash is currently working on a new musical project exploring her Irish roots, which includes a cover of Sinéad O’Connor’s song Famine.
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